


the gardens that grow between us

by sylviaplathleisure



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Book 3: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Mutual Pining, Pining, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-20
Updated: 2020-12-27
Packaged: 2021-03-08 23:02:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 20,953
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27114418
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sylviaplathleisure/pseuds/sylviaplathleisure
Summary: Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry has opened their doors to exchange students, accepting two best friends from Salems Witches Institute in America. The one to guide them around their new home? Draco Malfoy.The girls discover flings and heartbreak while trying to juggle their new life all at once.
Relationships: Draco Malfoy/Original Female Character(s), Fred Weasley/Original Female Character(s), Oliver Wood/Original Female Character(s), Ron Weasley/Original Female Character(s)
Kudos: 9





	1. prologue

****

**IN A SLEEPY MASSACHUSETTS TOWN** , sat a school that was particularly odd.

But, the townees didn't seem to think so. To some, it was an empty and crumbled down sprawling castle that told the story of the town's long history. It was nestled between rolling green hills and flurries of pine trees. The grounds were long forgotten and overgrown, and families of foxes seemed to enjoy the hollowed out trees that were toppled over in front of the ruins. It was often pointed to by tourists who zoomed past on the winding road next to it.

To a small select group of young women, it was home. These young women were often regarded as the brightest witches in North America. Salem Witches' Institute was an all girl's wizardry school that had taught generations of witches from far and wide. 

Two of these witches were named Paloma Martinez and Dolores Rodriguez. 

Paloma was a pureblood witch, who stood at only 4'11". Her dark shoulder-length hair and short stature were reminiscent of her mother's. Her confidence and dauntlessness were inherited from her father. Her father was a powerful wizard, who presided as the vice president of The Magical Congress of the United States. A title that Paloma would often roll her eyes at whenever her father would introduce himself to others. She was an only child and was a star Quidditch player on her school's team.

During her first year at school, she met a curly-haired and funny witch by the name of Dolores Rodriguez. After Paloma accidentally spilled a potion on her during a class (which burnt through the tweed skirt of Dolores' uniform), the two became inseparable. Dolores was a half-blood witch who only stood a few inches taller than Paloma. Her father passed away when she was young, leaving Dolores with her non-maj mother. From passing memories her mother would share, her father was an Auror for MACUSA and loved to sing off tune to songs out in the garden. Dolores didn't have many memories of her father, but she did remember how cold his hands were.

Paloma and Dolores spent most of their time in the meadow fields that grew wildly outside of Dolores' house and learning new spells that ultimately annoyed their parents. The two were top students at Salem Witches' Institute but often caused havoc wherever they went. Running across campus and laughing loudly to themselves in the halls. But, they managed to garner friendships with their peers. Unlike other wizardry schools, theirs was relatively small. The pair knew almost every witch's names and felt comfortable within their classes.

On the night of the institute's last day of school during their second year, the headmistress announced a new opportunity that caused all the witches to gasp throughout the dining hall.

Wizardry schools from all over the world were now opening their doors to international students for an exchange program. And one school, in particular, was allowing transfers - Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardy. Only a handful of witches would be accepted to attend. Paloma and Dolores almost immediately started plotting.

Just a few weeks after this during their summer break, the two sent off applications and crossed their fingers. They spent their time waiting for a response practicing their British accents.

When they thought that all hope was lost, just a week before their term was set to begin, they were both sent an aged and wax sealed letter in the mail.

Paloma practically ripped it from her father's grip as he retrieved the mail and ran up the stairs of their home to tear it open. And there it was - an acceptance letter to Hogwarts. Paloma squealed and jumped up and down on the creaky floorboards of her bedroom. She raced down to call Dolores, who was already ringing her when Paloma reached the bottom of the stairs. 

Just a few days before they were to set off to London, Paloma's father called her into his hoarded study. Very rarely did she ever set foot in the cramped office, so she knew what he had to share was going to be important. As he sat with his hands crossed on his desk, she shared a piece of information that made Paloma visibly gag. Her father told her that a dear friend of his who he went "way back" with, shared a proposition with him. 

His name was Lucious Malfoy, and whenever he heard his name she shuddered. Her father and Lucious wanted to set her up with his son, Draco - another name she shuddered with. Paloma had very few memories of Draco, his family spending summers with them when she was younger. All she had remembered from Draco was that he was an irritating and cold kid with bleach blonde hair, who broke a toy wand she had when she was five. 

Paloma refused, but her father already made the choice for her. The Martinez family was a prestigious line of pureblood wizards and witches, and it would only make sense to procreate with yet another line of purebloods. As she stomped loudly to her room, Dolores' mother was sitting her down for an equally important discussion.

At the round dining table that sat in their cramped dining room, Dolores' mother warned her about those oversees. All her life, Dolores had received snide remarks about her being a half-blood. Seeing as one of the most prolific wizards who sought to destroy such half-bloods and non-majs attended Hogwarts and was possibly still roaming about, her mother thought it was best for her to keep her half-blood ancestry out of conversation.

Dolores obliged with a lump in her throat.

In just one week, they were going to be sent to one of the most prestigious wizarding schools in the world, and nothing would properly prepare them for the experience that awaited them.

★


	2. debuts and dementors

****

**"ARE YOU SURE THAT'S HOW WE DO IT?"** Dolores questioned.

A beret sat in her perfectly coiled hair, with a cart of luggage towered over her small stature. Dolores was standing in between Paloma and Draco Malfoy. On the ride to King's Cross, Paloma finally told Dolores about her father's proposition. From the looks of it, Lucius Malfoy forced his son to act as some sort of tour guide of Hogwarts to the girls to get on Paloma's father's good side. Draco looked angry and bitter, which wasn't a new look for him by any means.

"God you two are wusses, yes that's how you get through." Rang Draco annoyingly. He puffed out and white-knuckled his cart of luggage. His white hair kept getting ruffled by the incoming trains by the nearby tracks.

"How do we know you're not just fucking with us?" Paloma commented sternly, her arms were crossed over her chest. At that moment a passing train flew by the station and sent a shiver up Paloma's exposed ankles and sent her dress flowing slightly.

Draco sighed heavily and stood back a few inches.

"Fine, just watch me. Lean forward and rush it." He replied coldly. With the same breath, he clutched the handle of his cart and ran forward into the wall of the train station. Paloma and Dolores winced, bracing themselves for Draco to splatter across the wall. But instead, he disappeared in front of their very eyes.

"Okay, I guess he wasn't kidding." Dolores broke quietly. Paloma giggled to herself before doing as she was instructed by Draco. In a flash, Paloma was sent tumbling into the open air. As she looked up, she saw Draco's sly smile facing towards her. Just then, Dolores was sent speeding quickly the same way they were just moments ago.

"See? God and they call you two the best witches in North America." He sneered with a cringe. 

" _And they call you two the best witches in North America_." Paloma mimicked as they climbed onto the train and searched for an empty compartment. Draco led the way, and the sight of students cowering by the sheer glance of him was not lost on the girls.

Quiet meows started to spill out of the pet carrier Paloma was carrying in her right hand.

"Can you quiet that thing down?" Draco snarled, shooting a nasty look at the black cat peering nervously outside of his carrier.  
"How can you even hear Hex?" Paloma asked softly.

Dolores stuck her fingers through the cage to pet Hex, but he launched backward and hissed at Dolores' brown barn owl, which sat quietly in its cage.

"Hey! Tell your fat cat to leave Bishop alone." Dolores scowled.   
"Hex is not fat, he's big-boned," Paloma said sourly. Draco rolled his eyes at the girls' petty bickering.

The three finally found an empty compartment, but as the girls sat across from each other, Draco stayed glued to the door of the compartment

"Aren't you gonna sit with us?" Dolores asked, shuffling into her bag for something.  
"Or are you too cool for us?" Paloma scoffed.

"I have more important things to do than sit with you two." He stated.

"Wow, so you're just going to leave your future wife here without a man while a psychopath is on the loose?" Dolores teased, leading the pair into a laughing fit.

"Shove it, _Lola_." Draco quipped. Somehow, he knew that Dolores hated being called Lola. This remark only had her throwing a pencil sharply towards his head, narrowly missing it as he rushed out the door and shut it loudly behind him.

"Like he has s _o many_ friends," Paloma said under her breath, looking out the window and watching students appear in front of the wall from rushing in just as they did.

A small crinkle broke the silence in the small space, the source was a copy of _The Daily Prophet_ that Dolores excitedly bought the day before during their trip to Diagon Alley.

"Can you believe there's just some crazed dude on the loose just as we're about to start the term?" Dolores asked with a shocked expression, pacing through the pages of the paper.

"Hopefully he gets Draco before we can put up with him any longer." Paloma joked, sending Dolores' foot to kick her under the table. "You are such a dick," Dolores remarked, stifling a laugh.

Before they knew it, the platform outside the window cleared out and only left somber parents waving at their kids inside the train. The train's engine erupted, and the environment outside the window quickly raced by and disappeared. 

"Do you know who else got accepted into Hogwarts?" Paloma asked.

With Dolores' head still buried in the paper, she replied "Supposedly Janice Beckhart, Lydia Ngyuen, and Gemma Sailing." 

"Solid group I see," Paloma confirmed. As much as she wanted to share her excitement with her best friend, the pair stayed quiet and enjoyed the sights from outside. Hex meowed lazily and Bishop hooted at any bump the train hit on the tracks. But, the quiet murmur of the train was interrupted with a loud crash and commotion from near their compartment.

"What the-" Dolores started, not being able to finish her thought as she listened closely for anything else. Paloma shot up from the seat and peered her head out of the compartment, quickly seeing that other students were doing the same. She could hear owls down the train hooting away at the disruption. The hallway seemed clear, but an open compartment just a few doors down had the limbs of several people poking out. Paloma shut the door and shrugged at Dolores before taking her seat again.

Just a few beats later, Draco came rushing into the compartment. He couldn't even make out an explanation without breaking out into laugher.

"What happened?" Paloma asked, her question was met with the loud shut of the door and the creak of the leather seats as he sat down next to her.

"Harry Potter just fainted over a _dementor_." He managed to make out. His light complexion was flushed with red as he continued to laugh.

"If I saw one of those things I'd shit myself too, are you kidding?" Paloma's face twisted in disgust as she turned to Draco and elbowed him in his side.

"Wait, Harry Potter is - _here_?" was Dolores' only reaction, this was enough to make her put the paper down and set it on the table between them.

Draco sobered up and glared across the table over to her.

"That prick? Yes, he's here." He remarked angrily, sinking into the seat.

"I'm taking that you don't like the kid?" Paloma said.

"Thinks he's hot shit around school." He muttered. The pink in his face from laughing was starting to fade.

"Whatever you say," Dolores whispered.

"Put on our robes now, we're getting close," Draco demanded to the girls. All three of them grabbed for their robes and piled out of the compartment, and came back donning the black uniforms.

"These are pretty sick." Commented Paloma, who was glad she no longer had to put up with the tweed skirts and itchy sweaters from the institute. As they stood patting over the robes, the train started to slow. Draco sighed and led the girls out once more, meeting the congestion of students who had the same thought. Paloma clutched Hex's cage tightly and Dolores raised Bishop's cage in the air, Paloma looked at her confused. "What? She likes to be aware of her surroundings." Dolores simply put.

The girls studied the faces of their soon to be classmates carefully. Even from the looks of the train, they could tell that there more kids lining up to leave as there were girls at their school.

As they stood there waiting for everyone to get off, Paloma grabbed for Dolores' hand and squeezed it. The two girls' faces met, sharing a look of excitement for the night ahead.


	3. sortings and slytherins

****

**THE GRAND HALL WAS BUSTLING WITH STUDENTS** when the girls entered.It was overwhelming at first, the tall ceilings and talkative students who were catching up with one another after the summer. Paloma and Dolores' eyes darted around the tabes that were already full and ornate detailing on the walls.

"You're joking -" Paloma simply stated, still in awe at the ornate decorations and the size of the student population. In their innocent amazement, they had lost track of Draco in the crowd of students flooding in.

Just then, a tall wizard with a flowing white beard and intricately decorated robes appeared in front of them.

"Ah yes - you two must be the transfers from the Salem Witches' Institute." He gleamed, his half-moon spectacles pointing towards them. "I'm Dumbledore, your headmaster here. It is an honor to meet such bright students." He then uncovered his aged hand and shook both of their hands.

He led them to the other three girls who had been accepted from their school. The five girls squealed in excitement overseeing each other.

"You lot will be sorted into your school houses shortly after the first years are sorted," Dumbledor instructed with a smile. The girls eagerly nodded their heads. Back in Massachusetts, their school didn't do "sorting". Paloma and Dolores read all about the houses in the books upon books they read about the school over the summer and guessed excitedly on what houses they would get into.

Upon entry, laid four long tables that didn't seem to end. Within these rows, students in black robes and pointed hats rubbernecked at the incoming girls. At the opposite end of the hall, a long table sat older wizards and witches whose facial expressions straightened up as they saw the exchange students. And there, on a small wood stool, laid the girls' fate. It was unlike anything they'd seen before, but not out of the ordinary for the already experienced witches.

A wide-brimmed witch's hat that was tattered and ragged due to age. As the girls walked down the narrow walkway, a silence (albeit with a few whispers) fell over the room. Paloma started to bite her lip and Dolores dug her nail into her palm. The girls who were taller than the tiny first years felt silly standing behind them in the line. 

The line slowly but surely dwindled, and finally, all of the students spread out in front of the strangely daunting hat. The five girls stood tightly together, standing off to the side and watching the tiny first years clamor to the stool. Dolores clutched Paloma's bicep, although she didn't realize how tightly she was squeezing until Paloma slapped away her hand.

The crowd slowly but surely dwindled, and finally, the last first year was sorted and the five girls walked over, dead center in front of the hat. A small witch with a tight bun pointed hat, and long black robes eyed the girls and flashed a little smile. Dumbledore's presence was made known once again as he stood proud and tall from the table and cleared his throat loudly.

"Congratulations to all our incoming first years!" Dumbledore shouted, causing the entire student body to break into cheers.

"Now, we will be sorting our new exchange students from Salem Witches' Institute in America." He stated, everyone in the hall quieted down with a few whispers and murmurs. Suddenly, all eyes turned to the girls, which was surely felt, even if their backs were turned away from the rows of students. The witch who stood next to the hat grabbed a scroll from the table in which the other older witches and wizards sat behind. She unraveled it and gave one last glance to the girls. Dolores gulped.

Janice Beckhart was called up first. She was the tallest one in the group and immediately placed herself on the stool. Paloma could see her chest rising and falling rapidly, Janice's cheeks were rosy and she nervously tapped the seat awaiting a response from the hat.

"Janice, Janice, Janice, our first American witch," the hat bellowed, "high marks so you think you belong in Ravenclaw, but you're as loyal as Hufflepuff, are you sure?" Janice twiddled her thumbs as her fists rested in her lap. The hat sighed loudly before making its final decision.  
"Very well, RAVENCLAW!" 

It sounded as if a bomb went off as the Ravenclaw table roared with applause and cheers. Janice shared a look of relief to the girls as she grinned hugely and gave the girls a hug before joining her new house.

"Paloma Martinez." The witch announced. Paloma's stomach churned as she stepped up and sat in the chair.

"Our second American witch...hmmmm... _an interesting case indeed_...pureblood I see..." The hat muttered on her head. Paloma's hands clutched the sides of the stool. "Gryffindor? No that's too easy..." Paloma bounced her knee. "I'm sure about this one, positively positive... SLYTHERIN!" The hat roared once more. Paloma sighed a sigh of relief, the house her father was hoping she had been placed in. As she turned to the slew of Slytherins shouting for her, she saw Draco jumping up and down, waving his arms wildly in the air.

She ran off towards the table, meeting Draco with a side hug before sitting next to him.

"I could've sworn you were going into _Hufflepuff._ " He teased, Paloma stuck her tongue out and hit his shoulder. 

After Lydia was sorted into Gryffindor, there came a confident Dolores up to the stool. Draco and Paloma stared attentively, it was as if the two held their breath.

"Ah, Miss Rodriguez...your dear old friend made it into Slytherin...but should you? Do you really think so? Be positive, be sure..." It questioned rather aggressively. "Well, you have your own reasons...SLYTHERIN!" Once more, the Slytherin table erupted into cheers. Draco and Paloma yelled for Dolores and welcomed her with open arms at the table.

After Gemma Sailing was sorted into Hufflepuff, the headmaster made a rather serious announcement about dementors on school grounds. The mere mention of dementors sent shivers down Dolores' spine. After his long-winded explanation, the feast commenced. The two girls tried to eat in between questions from other Slytherins about America and how life was at their school. 

"You guys didn't have school _houses_?" Scoffed one fourth year that crowded around them. The girls tried to stay as pleasant as possible while being bombarded with inquiries. At some point, even Draco got fed up with those who leaned over him to ask the girls something, so he shot wild glares at anyone who seemed to want to talk to them.

At the end of the feast, the girls were led by Draco into the Slytherin Dungeon. "It's called a dungeon? We got the short end of the stick..." Paloma said on their trek to the common room. The journey there was freezing cold and smelled of damp stone and creaks that made Dolores jump every few minutes. 

"The password is boomslang." Draco told them, and immediately, the door to the common room sprung open.

"Whoa." Dolores awed at the mechanism. 

As the girls stepped into the common room, they were greeted with large flowing, velvet green curtains that hung elegantly off the stone walls of the room. Dark, stripped back chandeliers lit the space dimly, and the only windows showed the dark blue and green waters outside.

"Are we...?" Paloma began but Draco quickly interrupted, "The common room is below the lake." Paloma and Dolores shared impressed looks. The three settled in front of the sputtering fireplace that provided a unique warmth in the otherwise cold common room.

More students piled in, but instead of kind introductions towards the girls, they seemed to snicker and whisper about the two under hands trying to hide what they were saying.

"So," Draco began, stretching his arms across the velvet couch that sat adjacent to the one the girls were sitting in, "I hear you're quite the star Quidditch team, Paloma." He had a sly smirk that Paloma didn't seem to like.

"How do you know that? Stalking your future wife?" Paloma teased, Draco scoffed.  
"Your father loves to brag." He sneered, Dolores giggled.   
"I'm a seeker for Slytherin," Draco said, causing Paloma to hold back a laugh.

"Makes sense, you're pretty small," Paloma told him, Draco frowned. "I was a chaser for our team." Paloma sighed.

Draco's eyes grew and he leaned over quickly, "Cassius Warrington just got injured and is out for the rest of the season, you can replace him!"

Paloma thought for a moment but shrugged, she did love Quidditch, but somehow the idea of joining Hogwart's team never crossed her mind. "When's your next practice?" 

"Tomorrow, we have an informative meeting," Draco informed. His elbows dug into his legs as his fists acted as a resting place for his chin.

"Why are you so eager for me to join?" Paloma asked, her face contorted to a puzzled look, "You want Paloma to end up like that Cassius dude, huh?" Dolores injected.

"Gryffindor keeps serving our asses on a silver platter, we can take any good player we can get, _even you_." He muttered through gritted teeth.  
Paloma smiled, "Fine, I'll go to your meeting."

"Can we go to bed now? I can't keep my eyes open." Dolores whined, her head bent over the arm of the couch.

"Me too, we're gonna turn in then, Draco." Paloma sighed heavily and ruffled Draco's perfectly laid hair, causing him to swat her hand away aggressively. The girls hesitantly went through a dark tunnel that they swore was going to swallow them up. But, the tunnel led into a dormlike room with four beds, two against parallel walls. Two girls were already strewn across their beds who stopped their whispers as the girls entered.

Paloma and Dolores learned that they were named Rebecca Lancaster and Patricia Burke. They were shy but seemed nicer than the other Slytherins they encountered who didn't even greet them in the common room. 

Paloma and Dolores quickly drifted off to sleep, the result of the long day that laid behind them. 


	4. creatures and quidditch

****

**DRACO LED THEM BACK TO THE GREAT HALL** the next morning for breakfast. The hall was less decorated from the night before, but it didn't stop the girls from being fascinated by every intricate detail and carving that lined the walls. The girls beelined to the Slytherin table so fast that they didn't even notice Draco and his two idiot minions were at the Gryffindor table causing a commotion. Dolores peered through the heads blocking her view of Draco, there she saw Draco teasing a boy with jet black hair. She rolled her eyes and continued to scarf down food.

Their first class of the day was a doozy; History of Magic. But, Paloma and Dolores seemed to be fascinated by the fact that Professor Binns was a ghost. Whenever they would look over to Draco, he looked like he was on the verge of slipping into a deep sleep.

After class ended, the girls excitedly approached the class they looked forward to the most; Care of Magical Creatures. 

"Our professor is Hagrid for Merlin's sake..." Draco mumbled to the girls, who were barely listening as they gawked at every detail of the castle.   
"Who's Hagrid?" Dolores asked.  
"The bumbling idiot of a gamekeeper for Hogwarts," His annoyance reflected his walk, as he bounded with each step and his arms swung aggressively, "not to mention we have it with the Gryffindors."   
"How one person can be this fired up at twelve in the afternoon baffles me," Dolores whispered to Paloma.

The trio finally reached the small hut that sat outside on the outskirts of campus. It stood in front of a foreboding dark forest. Paloma's eyes grew as she saw a large man loom over the crowd of already gathered students.

"That's Hagrid?" She whispered to Draco.  
"That's right, that oaf..." He continued but Paloma zoned out as she studied her classmates.  
"He just looks like a giant teddy bear." Dolores pouted.

Paloma and Dolores excitedly stood closer to Hagrid, while Draco stood back with two friends who looked like they could bite Dolores' head off.

The girls stood behind another trio; a boy with jet black hair, a girl with curly hair, and a boy with fire-red hair. Due to the girls' short statures, they could barely see anything standing behind the tall red-headed boy. When she tried to move around, students blocked their paths, too engrossed in what Hagrid was saying. As Hagrid pulled something out and started to show the class, Dolores stood on her tippy toes to catch a glimpse. But, she quickly lost her balance and tripped forward into the red-headed boy.

"Hey, watch it!" He exclaimed, his voice was deep for a third year. He spun around ready to confront Dolores, but instead, his face looked stunned.  
"I'm so sorry...I just couldn't see...I'm sorry..." Dolores shot out rapidly, her face grew red.  
In the heat of her embarrassment, Hagrid then disappeared into his hut to retrieve a forgotten item.  
"No, I'm sorry - I didn't know it was..." He continued nervously.  
"Oh my gosh!" Squeaked the girl next to him, Dolores felt Paloma jump slightly.

"You - you two are the new exchange students!" She said excitedly, just then her hand shot up to shake their hands, "I'm Hermione Granger, this is Harry, and this is Ron."   
The boy with the jet black hair turned around to meet their faces, Paloma tried not to stare at the scar on his forehead.

"Why hello, Hermione, Harry, and Ron. I'm Paloma and this is Dolores." Paloma introduced charmingly, she shook her hand and Dolores followed suit.   
"How are you guys liking Hogwarts so far?" Harry asked eagerly.   
"Oh, it's been great," Dolores started, "Except for History of Magic." Paloma continued. This comment earned a laugh from the boys.

While Paloma and Hermione shot the breeze, Dolores studied Ron's face. Soft features with freckles seeming to kiss every square inch of his face. But, he caught her staring and his freckles disappeared into his reddening face that was seeming to match his hair.

The rest of the class was - interesting - to say the least. Paloma and Dolores laughed the entire way to the infirmary to visit Draco after he was hurt by a Hippogriff.

"He is such a baby." Dolores snorted, the girls could barely contain their laughs down the hall.

★

After they powered through their class schedule, the pair wanted to go back to their rooms and disappear into their sheets. But, Paloma knew she still had to go to Quidditch practice with Draco. The sky had turned into a crisp burnt orange shade and Paloma and Draco treaded over the green grass to get to the Quidditch field. Draco had his arm wrapped in a bandage that Paloma rolled her eyes at.

"Is that really necessary?" She asked, trying to stifle a laugh.  
"It almost took my head off!" He shouted.

As they got to the Quidditch pitch, they saw a group of tall boys donning green uniforms stood huddled around each other. As they approached, the group scarily faced the two.

"Hello boys, this is Paloma Martinez -" Draco began, a towering boy with jet black hair interrupted, "You're the star Quidditch player from America?" 

"So they say," Paloma answered softly.

"I'm Marcus Flint, I'm captain. What was your position?"

"Chaser."

"Aren't you too small for a chaser?" A boy from the back of the group interrupted, earning snickers from the group.

The dark-haired boy shushed him immediately and continued, "If you're as good as they say you are, you have a spot on our team." 

Paloma smirked, "Fine, let's play." 

This prompted all of them to mount their brooms and rise steadily off the ground, a feeling Paloma was fond of. They all zoomed across the sky, ripping past Draco and other players. While she was up there, it was clear to everyone on the team that she was the fastest out of all of them. She punted the Quaffle through one of the goals, narrowly missing a boy's head, making him zoom out of control.

Just then, Marcus began to slow down and stare at something down on the field. Paloma stopped next to Draco, "What is it?" She asked.

"Gryffindor," he said with disdain. As the rest of the team glided down towards the field, they met face to face with the Gryffindor team, dressed in scarlet red robes.

"What are you doing here?" Marcus questioned, his face contorted with disgust. The boy who seemed to be the captain stepped up to Marcus. Paloma's only thought was how cute he was, she felt the heat rise to her cheeks but she couldn't tell if it was from whizzing around in the air. 

"We have the field for 6, Flint." He muttered. Paloma stood on her tippy toes to catch the sight of the other players, catching a look from Harry, in which she waved discreetly and earned a hesitant wave back. Finally, her eyes caught onto two tall red-headed twins standing in the back with folded arms. The heat in her cheeks lingered as she thought they were even cuter. _I could get used to being around them at Quidditch games_ she thought. Through all of this, she didn't even catch the bickering between the two captains.

"Fine, we're done here anyway." Marcus declared, the team following suit as he stomped off across the fields and back to the castle.

"Martinez." He demanded, eyes still glued towards the castle leading charge. Paloma caught up to his side.

"You got the position." Paloma squeaked and gave a tight hug to Marcus, who looked confused and slightly disturbed at her glee. She then ran back to Draco and excitedly hit his arm.

"Watch it, Paloma," Draco mumbled, but Paloma could see the slight smile that started to appear on his lips.

"Just because you're my future husband doesn't mean I'm going to go easy on you." She teased, Draco rolled his eyes.


	5. potions and pity parties

****

**"YOU ARE SUCH A BABY, MALFOY."** Scoffed Paloma.

Draco was refusing to go to class the next morning after the accident with the Hippogriff. Paloma and Dolores had spent their morning before heading off to class trying to convince him to go to class, but all he did was whine.

"Weren't you playing Quidditch just yesterday?" Dolores questioned, her arms were crossed and she was staring at Draco with disdain. Draco ignored her comment.

"Can you two grab me breakfast?" He moaned, strewn across the Slytherin couch. But instead, Paloma and Dolores flipped him off and made their way to Potions.

As they entered the classroom, Paloma realized that the classroom was reminiscent of the Slytherin common room, a smaller dungeon-like room with bottles and jars lining the walls around what appeared to be Snape's desk. The two sat in the second row, Dolores excitedly swinging her legs off the chair, watching students file into the classroom. 

In the quick moment that Dolores scanned the room and students, a trio sat down at the table in front of them. She quickly realized it was Hermione, Harry, and Ron. She corrected her hunched posture and began to shake her leg nervously.

The class' murmuring came to a halt as Professor Snape began talking and introducing the topics they'd cover that term. Paloma was slightly startled by his strong and deep vocal inflections and exchanged terrified glances with Dolores. He then set a potion down at each table, telling the students to write in their scrolls on what they observe from the murky green liquid in front of them. They sat scared silence while they swished the potion bottle around and took quick sniffs, making Paloma and Dolores gag. A sudden crash caused all the heads in the classroom to turn around towards the back of the classroom, in which sat Neville Longbottom who had accidentally dropped the bottle onto his foot and sending it to break on the stone floor.

" _Longbottom,_ " Snape growled, Paloma started to notice that whatever was in the bottle was starting to bubble on Neville's shoe and the floor. 

When the girls turned back around, they met Hermione's wide-eyed gaze.

"Paloma! Dolores!" Hermione said excitedly. The two girls smiled.   
"Hello." Harry greeted shyly.  
"Hi," Ron mumbled.  
"How's Draco's arm?" Hermione asked. The two girls tried to stifle a laugh.  
"He's a drama queen," Dolores answered.  
"He's completely fine." Paloma continued.

"That git..." Ron gritted his teeth.  
"Ron, that's their friend..." Hermione gasped slightly and shot a look of concern at the two girls.  
"No don't worry, we feel the same." Paloma sighed.  
"Really?" Harry furrowed his brows.  
"He's definitely...a...whatever Ron just called him." Dolores giggled.

"We should all see each other out of class!" Hermione gleamed.  
"That would be great." Paloma smiled and Dolores followed suit.

Suddenly, a slick voice interrupted their pleasantries. The trio's eyes widened at Professor Snape who was standing behind Paloma.

"Granger, please stop harassing the exchange students." He muttered.  
"No she wasn't-" But Dolores was quickly cut off.  
"Don't be so modest, ten points from Gryffindor." He continued.

Ron groaned quietly and the five students, including the rest of the class, continued to glue their eyes ahead to the front of the classroom.

★

After their classes ended for the day, Dolores had to make a trek across the castle because she had forgotten some of her scrolls in Snape's classroom. While she walked through the long corridors, she came across Ron and Harry, who were just then exiting the library and whispering amongst themselves. Dolores toyed with the idea of flagging Ron down and talking to him, but this just made her nervously fiddle with her hands. But, it was now or never, she found herself call Ron's name as she was a few feet behind them.

Ron whipped his head around and stopped in his tracks, he looked moderately shocked at the thought of Dolores calling after him in the halls, as did Harry. Dolores caught up with them and kept her gaze on Ron.

"Hi, Ron." She breathed nervously.   
"Erm - hi." He replied.

None of them spoke for a minute. Dolores didn't plan on what she was going to say after "Hi".

"Nice weather, huh?" She continued.  
"Y-yeah...I suppose..." Ron trailed off and looked over to Harry who was trying to mouth something to him, but instead elbowed his side. "Where's Paloma?" Ron continued.

"Back at our common room." She smiled and nodded, which made Ron blush in return.

For a moment, none of them said anything but stare at each other awkwardly.

"Okay, well - bye," Dolores said quickly and hurried away from the boys who still stood frozen where Dolores stopped them. As there was no one else in the corridor after class hours, Dolores could hear the boys clearly as she scampered off.

"You're an idiot." Dolores heard Harry tell Ron, who let out a loud sigh. Their footsteps meshed into Dolores' as the two parties marched off in different directions.

Dolores' cheeks burned red.

★

"He must think I'm some sort of freak," Dolores told Paloma. The two girls were sitting at a table in the corner of their common room. Dolores had her chin on her knees with her legs pulled in, with a subdued expression on her face.

"No! He's probably as shy as you, it's no big deal." Paloma shrugged off, trying to comfort her.  
"I'm never showing my face in class with them again, I'm a failure. I'm going back to America." Dolores started to rock slightly.

Just as the words left Dolores' mouth, Draco walked up to the two girls.

"What's up with her?" Draco asked Paloma. Dolores groaned and hid her face into her knees.  
"Flirting gone wrong." Paloma scoffed, she was busy copying down dates for History of Magic.

Draco squinted his eyes and shot his head towards Dolores, looking agitated.

"Flirting with who?" He pushed.  
"I want to die." Dolores muffled.  
"That red-headed guy...uh...Ron?" Paloma answered, still keeping her eyes on her scroll.  
"RON?" Draco half-shouted, Dolores unhid her face and hit Draco's arm. Some Slytherins near them shot their heads up towards them.  
"Shut up!" She commanded quietly. 

"You have got to be joking, Dolores," Draco said slightly concerned. He squatted down to meet her face that was hung slightly, "You can't embarrass yourself in front of a Weasley even if you tried, they do it to themselves," He continued. Paloma gave Draco a confused look at his strange way of comforting Dolores.

"Don't be a baby," Draco said coldly, squeezing Dolores' shoulder as he got up from the squat and disappeared around the corner to go to his dormitory. 

"Did hell just freeze over?" Paloma scoffed. Dolores rose her head from her knees and let her legs hit the floor beneath the chair.

"What?" Dolores asked.  
"Draco, he was trying to comfort you. Made me almost throw up on my notes." Paloma squinted her eyes at Dolores and continued to scribble away in her notes.

Dolores let out one last sigh to finish off her pity party.


	6. first meetings and mudbloods

****

**THE NEXT MORNING, THE GIRLS QUICKLY REALIZED THEY WERE RUNNING LATE.** They quickly got dressed and skipped breakfast, racing through the hallways desperately trying to find their Divination classroom. Dolores muttered to herself in annoyance with Draco who didn't bother waiting for them in the common room or their roommates who didn't wake the girls up. As they turned a corner, Paloma slammed into someone and fell back, sending her materials flying onto the stone floor.

"Shit, I'm sorry." The boyish voice apologized. Paloma propped herself on elbows and watched the tallboy stick his hand out toward her to help her up. It was the captain of the Gryffindor team. She felt her face turn bright red.

"No it's - it's okay." She stammered, pulling on his hand and standing back up. He quickly bent down and grabbed her materials up in one scoop. He had broad arms that were observably the result of years of playing Quidditch.

"I'm Oliver." He introduced, Paloma having to tilt her head up a great lot to meet his eyes. 

"I'm Paloma." She replied softly. Oliver then handed her her books and gave a shy smile.

"Yeah, I know. I heard you're the new Slytherin seeker, everyone's been saying how you're not as mean as the others in your house." He admitted, chuckling to himself and causing her to giggle at the rumor.

"I sure hope so." She smiled. 

"I'm captain for Gryffindor." He added, he smiled goofily at her only making her blush more.

"Hey, sorry to interrupt but we're running really late to Divination, do you know where we can find it?" Dolores intercepted.

"Y-yeah, down the corridor, up the stairs, and up the attic." His eyes were still glued onto Paloma.

"Well, I'll see you around Oliver." Paloma said meekly, "Yeah, I'll see you around." Oliver then trailed off and hurried down the corridor, Dolores pulling on Paloma's sleeve the opposite way just in time for their class.

★

"You are such a prick for not waiting for us." Paloma erupted at Draco as soon as they left Divination. 

"Oh please, it is not my fault that you two can't manage your time." He rolled his eyes and led the girls down a grand staircase, heading towards their next class. "Sleeping is not managing your time correctly?" Dolores quipped. As the trio glided down the hallway, a familiar voice called their names.

"Paloma! Dolores!" Hermione half-shouted, causing them to all stop in their tracks. 

"Hermione! Hey!" Dolores grinned, the two girls rushing over the Hermione who was standing with Harry and Ron. Draco sulked over to them hesitantly, staying glued behind them and trying to bite his tongue. But, as Dolores stood by Ron, she felt the heat rise to her cheeks. She was hoping that Ron had forgotten all about their little run in the other day.

"How are you guys liking your classes so far?" She beamed.

"We almost lost our minds trying to get to Divination this morning but we managed, other than that it's all been so fascinating." Paloma replied, "And hey - sorry about potions yesterday, we don't know what Snape's problem is." Dolores apologized.

"Yeah, we don't either." Harry intercepted, resulting in laughs from them.

"Can you two hurry up? We need to get to class." Draco muttered from behind them.

"Oh, calm down," Paloma responded, annoyed.

"Excuse me if I don't want to be around these three bumbling idiots." Draco fought back, causing Dolores to send an elbow to his side. Harry and Ron laughed quietly, but their faces turned into looks of anger as Draco said "Not to mention we're in the midst of a filthy mudblood." Hermione's smile from seeing the girl's diminished.

"Well if we don't get to class Draco's going to throw a fit, it was nice talking to you guys." Paloma ended the conversation.

The two trios parted ways and headed towards their next class which was Herbology. 

As they were just a few feet away from the greenhouse, an unfamiliar voice was heard behind them.

"Draco!" The girl shouted, causing Draco to whip his head around.

"Pansy Parkinson." He whispered to the two. 

"Your other girlfriend?" Paloma whispered back. As Pansy approached, she made a nasty look at the two girls. 

"So you're the new girls from America, I presume." She greeted, with a hint of disdain. 

She was a pretty girl, they thought, but the look on her face that seemed like she smelled the potion from Snape's class yesterday obstructed her strong features.

"Yeah, I'm Paloma and this is-" Paloma started, but Pansy interrupted, "So Draco, you promised to tell me about Potter's little run-in with a dementor on the train." She sniggered.

Paloma and Dolores shared a look of confusion and decided to leave Draco outside of the greenhouse to head into class.

★

While Draco and Paloma were out at Quidditch practice after school, Dolores decided to head into the library. The library was sprawling and filled to the brim with countless books that she couldn't even fathom reading. As she moved through the library, she found Hermione hunched over a pile of papers and scrolls, with countless books open and strewn over the table. Dolores rushed up to the table with her.

"Hey!" Dolores whispered.

"Oh - Hi! Sorry, this is all a mess..." Hermione apologized, attempting to clear off some table space.

"No, no! I get it, you're in the zone." Dolores smiled and placed her own books on the table, "Sorry to interrupt." She added.

Hermione shook her head and looked up at her, "It's all so fascinating don't you think? Learning about a whole new culture of wizarding in another country? I can only imagine." Hermione cooed innocently.

"My thoughts exactly, you guys are a lot cooler than our wizards and witches back home." Hermione giggled softly.

"Hey, and you can tell your friends I'm sorry about how Draco treats you, he can be a prick." Dolores apologized once again. Hermione shook her head and turned slightly red.

"We're used to it now." She whispered.

"And what's that thing he calls you guys? Muckbloods?" 

Hermione turned serious, "Mudbloods."

"What does that even mean? I never bothered to ask him." Dolores asked, opening up her books and pulling out a quill from her bag.

"It's someone who isn't a pureblood, a very wretched thing to call someone." Hermione gulped.

Dolores turned white, "Oh - I'm sorry."

"No it's okay, I get it all the time now. What do they call them back in America?" Hermione was now staring at Dolores intently.

"Just non-maj, or non-magics. I used to get it all the time back home."

Hermione's mouth turned agape and her brows furrowed, "You're..."

Dolores quickly realized her mistake.

"Y-yeah, but no one knows except for Paloma." 

"Wow, I just expected since you hung around with Draco -"

"Yeah, I know. My father who was a wizard passed away and I just have my non-magic mother now. She told me to keep it a secret...so if you could-" 

Hermione interrupted, "Of course, I won't tell a soul. I understand." 

Dolores exhaled a sigh of relief, the two girls looking at each other with smiles.

"Do you mind if I study with you?" Dolores asked, her smile growing bigger.

"Of course you can." She nodded her head excitedly, the two girls then beginning to chip away at the huge workload that was assigned for them.


	7. duels and detention

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! Sorry if this chapter is a bit late, life has been crazy lol. I also update this fic on Tumblr (fredsweaslies) if that makes things easier to read or keep up with. Also, I would really appreciate some feedback! This is one of my first fics and I've been having so much fun with it, I'd love to hear what you guys think of it so far. Thank you for reading and stay safe!

****

**AS THE PAIR OF GIRLS BEGAN TO GET COMFORTABLE WITH THEIR NEW LIFE AT SCHOOL,** the first Hogsmeade weekend quickly approached. Just before the term started, Paloma and Dolores could barely contain their excitement when their parents signed the permission slips to allow the girls to leave school grounds. That morning, the girls couldn't wait to wear something other than their robes and busted out their best casual attire. They headed out with Draco, shivering at the sight of the dementors that stood guard in front of the castle.

"Where do you want to go first?" Dolores asked Draco, "I am not going around Hogsmede with you two." He said disgustingly.

"Scared we'll embarrass you, Malfoy?" Paloma said in a British accent, mocking him.

"I would rather be skinned alive than find out what you two find fun in Hogsmede." He scoffed, the two girls putting on a fake expression of shock.

"That is no way to talk to your future wife!" Dolores joked, gasping and clutching her heart. 

When they entered the crowded village, they couldn't keep their eyes off of the cute novelty shops that never seemed to end. In this, Draco disappeared. The girls decided to start their trip off with an ice cream shop near the entrance of the village.

As they stood in line at the kitsch ice cream parlor, they bantered about all the different flavors on the menu.

"Do you think it's any different from ice cream in America?" Dolores asked, their eyes still glued at the menu. "For these prices, I sure hope so." The two giggled. Just then, the boy in front of them turned around. It was Oliver Wood. Paloma straightened up.

"I thought I recognized that voice." He cooed, flashing Paloma a smile.

"Hey, Oliver." As confident as Paloma was in every other aspect of her life when it came to boys she became as shy as any other girl.

"I recommend the strawberry and peanut flavor, it's what I always get." He recommended kindly. Paloma couldn't stop herself from meeting his gaze.

"Sounds great." She said meekly. As he placed his order, Dolores quietly teased Paloma by fluttering her eyelashes and mouthing "Oh Oliver!"

When he reached the register, he told the cashier that he would be paying for Paloma and Dolores' orders as well.

"Oh - Oliver you don't have to." Paloma intercepted, but he was already handing over his coins to the cashier.

"No, I insist." He said confidently, "Thanks, Oliver." Dolores commented sweetly, " _I like him._ " She mouthed.

"Hey - Paloma..." Oliver called, who was now in the middle of the shop, stopping as he was about to leave. Paloma started attentively. 

"I was wondering, if you're not busy next weekend, would you like to go on a date?" 

Paloma swore she was going to faint.

"Of - of course. Yes, I would love to." She nodded eagerly and clutched her ice cream cup tightly.

"Perfect, I'll see you then." He smiled before heading out the door and meeting his friends that were waiting outside the shop.

"No fucking way." Dolores exclaimed. Paloma sighed and couldn't stop smiling.

The two sat down at the table that was right in front of the shop window. 

"I can't believe that you already have a date with one of the hottest guys at Hogwarts," Dolores said amazedly, "A guy can't even look my way in the halls."

"Are you kidding? What's that red-heads name again? The one who's friends with Hermione?" Paloma pondered, shoveling a spoonful of ice cream into her mouth.

"Ron? What about him?" Dolores started to turn pink.

"Oh, you know what, he's totally in puppy-love with you."

"I haven't even spoken a word to him."

"Yeah, but guys are dumb, that won't stop them from having a crush on you. I see the way he stares at you," Paloma continued, "The other day when we were at breakfast and when we walked past their table he spilled his pumpkin juice all over his sweater when he saw you." 

"You're crazy."

"Hey, just some food for thought. Not my fault you're oblivious," with ice cream still in her mouth, she added "don't you think he's cute?"

Dolores stayed quiet, "I knew it." Paloma laughed.

"I'm too nervous to talk to him, and from the looks of it he is too." 

"Aren't you study buddies with Hermione now? Just ask her to set you guys up."

"No, she's not like that. I'm better off starting things off organically."

"Up to you," Paloma continued, "does he have any brothers?"

"Yeah, Hermione mentioned that he has these twin brothers on the Quidditch team, and I think another one who's a prefect for Gryffindor, why?"

"While at practice the other day there were these cute red-head twins on Gryffindor, I just figured."

"No way, you're trying to get with the entire Gryffindor Quidditch team." Dolores laughed.

"Hey, we just got here, a girl can't have options?" The two snickered and finished their ice cream. When they opened the door of the parlor to leave, Paloma bumped harshly into Pansy Perkins.

"Watch it." Pansy taunted. Behind her were two Slytherin girls who towered over Paloma and Dolores.

"What is your deal?" Dolores demanded, crossing her arms, "Jealous because of Draco?"

This sent Pansy to grow bright red from anger, "You better pipe down, Lola." The two Slytherin girls behind her laughed at her remark.

"Move." Paloma demanded. Pansy and her cronies were blocking the girls from leaving.

"Make me." 

"Don't say I didn't warn you." Paloma sniggered, pulling out her wand and throwing it up against Pansy's throat. Pansy retreated into the arms of her friends behind her.

"Excuse me!" Interrupted a voice, Professor McGonagall marched up to the group of girls. 

"Detention, Miss Martinez," Paloma's face turned pink as Pansy and her friends giggled quietly behind McGonagall. "Off to the castle, all of you." She ordered, all the girls groaned and were sent on the walk of shame back to Hogwarts.

★

Even with the excitement during their first Halloween feast, that was no match to Paloma's disappointment in herself over her first detention. She stopped every step of the way that night after leaving her things in their room. She was sent to the great hall and dreaded finding out what she would have to do as a punishment.

When she entered the hall, only one person was sitting at a table in the empty space. One of the red-headed twins from Gryffindor. His head whipped up at her, his stunned expression greeting her. She smiled shyly and sat across from him at what would be the Gryffindor table.

"Hi." She greeted.

"Hello." He was still shocked to see her. Before Paloma could say anything else, she heard incoming footsteps.

"You two," Sprang Professor McGonagall, who was dressed in what seemed to be a black nightgown, "Your task tonight is to clean the silverware from today's meals, without magic." They both groaned as she waved her wand and sent the silverware from a nearby table to the table they were sat at.

"I will be back in an hour." She alerted. She quietly walked away and shut the huge wooden doors behind her.

The red-headed boy let out a sigh and began to pick up the silverware and scrubber.

"So, I take you're Paloma?" He said, she was shocked he knew her name.

"Yeah, how do you know?" She asked.

"You American students are all anyone has been talking about." He laughed, scrubbing a spoon, "I'm Fred." Paloma nodded.

"You have a twin? Or am I going insane?" This made him chuckle, "Yeah, that's George." Paloma nodded again and started to focus on wiping the cups with a damp towel.

"What brings you here?" He asked.

"Put a wand up to Pansy Parkinson's throat." Fred roared with laughter and slammed his palm down on the table, causing the silverware to rattle. "What about you?" She asked.

"Put firecrackers in the Ravenclaw toilets, a poor first year is officially scarred for life." The two tried to stifle laughs from the horrible prank, "You know, you're not as cruel and demeaning as others in your house." 

"So I've heard." She giggled, passing a fork to him to scrub.

"I hear you've gotten mighty cozy to Wood." He raised an eyebrow at her.

"Oh god." She laughed.

"How do I know you're not just interested in him so you can gain all our secrets?" Fred prodded.

"Don't worry, I'll still go hard on him during our matches." She shot a smile up at Fred who was staring attentively up at her. 

The two spent the hour laughing and giggling as Fred recounted his many pranks with George, and Paloma told him all about the embarrassing things she had caught Draco doing during their youth. Whenever there was a lull in the conversation from their focus on scrubbing and polishing the utensils, Paloma would look up and Fred and catch him staring at her. He would immediately shoot his eyes down to the cup he was cleaning to avoid being noticed. But Paloma surely took notice and simpered to herself while she wiped down the silverware. Suddenly, Professor McGonagall burst through the doors.

"Weasley, Martinez." She called, sounding slightly frantic. The two students looked up at her concerned, "There's been an incident up in the Gryffindor common room. You two can stop for now, we're sending students to sleep in here tonight." 

Paloma got chills as she stood up from the table, standing arm to arm with Fred who towered over her.

"What do you think happened?" Paloma asked innocently, watching students from all four houses pile into the great hall. Everyone was still in their nightgowns and pajamas. Fred shrugged. As the Slytherins made their way in, Dolores hurried over to Paloma.

"Sirius Black tore up the painting in front of Gryffindor's common room!" Dolores exclaimed, panicked. "What?" Paloma and Fred said at the same time.

"I'll catch you later, Paloma," Fred said, rushing over to his brothers George and Ron as soon as they made it inside.

The two girls found Draco, who was chuckling to himself over the frenzy that was happening in the great hall. 


	8. scarves and snowballs

****

**JUST A FEW DAYS BEFORE CHRISTMAS,** Paloma left Hogwarts to visit her brother in Mexico alongside her parents. Dolores was staying for the holiday break, seeing as she begged her mother to stay just so she could soak in the holiday magic at school. Draco stayed behind as well, but his two minions Crab and Goyle weren't staying for the break, Dolores didn't care to ask Draco as to why.

That morning, Dolores sprang up from her bed and saw the pile of presents at the foot of her bed. The festivities were a bit somber without Paloma by her side ripping through gifts with her. But the noise of tearing from her other two roommates gave her company. Dolores gave the two other girls a chocolate frog, her niceness shocked them and the girls dropped a few candies on her bed in return. 

She received a crocheted scarf with Slytherin colors that was handmade by her mother, along with a steaming box of Christmas tamales that made Dolores squeal with excitement. The next gift was from Paloma, who gifted her a forest green beret, with "D.R.", Dolores' initials, embroidered inside. After cleaning up the shreds of paper that covered her bed, she grabbed her gift for Draco and bounded excitedly out of her dormitory.

There, she saw Draco who was also heading out of the boy's dormitories. 

"Draco!" Dolores said excitedly.   
"It's too early for shouting." He said raspily, she had taken that he had just woken up. Dolores frowned.  
"I got you something!" She said, the two had moved over to a couch that was normally occupied by students at any given hour, but with the vacancy of more than half their house, it sat empty.

Draco looked puzzled as Dolores pushed the small box into his hand, he said nothing. He opened the box and took out Dolores' gift. She had given him a plain steel, black ring.

"I noticed you wear a lot of rings, so..." Before she could finish, Draco interrupted.  
"I didn't get you anything." He said quietly.  
"Oh, that's okay!" Dolores told him sincerely.  
"Should I have gotten something for Paloma?" He asked. Dolores shook her head, "I don't think she cares." She laughed.

Draco then placed the box on his lap and slid the ring across his slender, pale fingers.

"Thank you," Draco mumbled.  
"Oh! And one more thing..." Dolores trailed off and ran into the girl's dormitory, coming back with the box of tamales her mother had given her.

"My mom makes these every Christmas, they're tamales." She told him, opening the box and causing it to erupt with steam.  
"What?" He questioned, leaning in slightly to look in the box.  
"They're so good, take a bite." She pulled out a tamale from the box and placed it in Draco's hands. He smelled it and then took a hesitant bite. He chewed for a bit and finally swallowed.

"Good?" Dolores asked, smiling as she studied his face for a reaction.  
He nodded yes and continued to take another bite.  
"I knew you would." She laughed and closed the box up.

"Wanna go to breakfast?" He asked with food in his mouth.  
"Not really, I ate a few tamales already. Wanna go for a walk?"   
"It's freezing cold outside," Draco muttered.  
"Come on, just a lap around the castle." Dolores pleaded.

Draco groaned and finished the last few bites of the tamale. The two headed into their respective dorms and came out dressed for the bitter cold outside. Dolores was donning the scarf her mother made and the beret Paloma got her. Draco was wearing a gray knit turtleneck sweater beneath his heavy snow jacket.

The two stomped through the snow, finding students making snowmen and throwing snowballs along the way.

"What else did you get for Christmas?" Dolores asked, her face was buried in her scarf and her nose was bright pink. Her curls were now littered with bits of snow.  
"Some new boots from my mother and some Bulgaria Quidditch things from my father." Dolores didn't know much about Quidditch so she didn't even bother to further that conversation.  
"Are you close with your parents?" She asked earnestly. The two finally settled to sit in front of a large fir tree near the Quidditch pit. 

"Of course I am." He mumbled, he started to pat some snow that was beside him, his pale fingers seemed to fade into the white of the snow, "and you?" he continued.

"I'm close to my mom, yeah." Dolores said somberly, Draco shot his head up at her, "and your father?"   
"My dad passed away when I was young." She gave him a weak expression and start to pack a snowball.  
The corners of Draco's lips fell, "I'm sorry...I didn't..."

But, the snowball Dolores pelted into Draco's chest interrupted him. Draco's eyes were filled with anger, Dolores giggled and shot up, preparing for his retaliation. He quickly packed an even bigger snowball and launched it into Dolores' back. The force of the large snowball and her foot getting stuck in the snow sent her flying face-first into the snow. Draco gasped and ran carefully through the snow to check on her. He grabbed her shoulder and flipped her over, but yet another snowball was thrown by Dolores onto his face. She started to laugh hysterically, her face covered in snow.

"You little -" He growled, wiping his face rid the remnants of the snowball. Dolores continued to gasp for air through her laughs.  
"You...You should have..." She wheezed, "Seen your face..." Tears started to stream down her face. As Draco stood over her in the snow, he carefully examined every crease and crinkle of her laughing face, getting lost in her childish joy.

"What?" She had sobered up at Draco's careful expression.

"Nothing." He answered softly, looking staring down at her. She saw him and he saw her, in a strange way Draco felt vulnerable. He balled his fists and shot his head around the empty piece of field they were in, the space was barren with no students in sight.  
"Lay in the snow!" Dolores ordered, kicking his ankle with her foot. 

Draco was glad there was no one in sight as he laid next to Dolores, shoulder to shoulder. Draco never wanted to get up. He wanted to lay there next to Dolores for the next few hours, days, weeks...

He didn't know what this feeling that he was feeling was. His heart felt full and the warmth of Dolores' arm next to his made him strangely nervous. It was something that he had done plenty of times; bumping into Dolores as they walked to halls or even getting close to her face to hear what she was saying in the midst of murmuring students in class. But, there was something different about being in the snow, a strange intimacy in laying in silence without fear of someone seeing him with his guard down. 

"You okay, kid?" Dolores asked. Draco flipped over to the side where she was and met her face. He nodded yes.  
"Do you mind if we go inside? I swear my hands are going numb." She laughed and sat up, shoving her hands into her jacket. Draco sat up as well and nodded. Dolores stood up first and grabbed for Draco's hand to help him up. Draco felt his stomach lurch.

He grabbed for Dolores' hand, helping him up from the snow. Even though her ungloved hand was freezing cold, he didn't want to let go. Even though her hand was freezing cold, there was a strange warmth from her he swore he could feel. As she let go of his hand, he felt bitterly cold once again.

The two powered through the thick snow and made their way to the castle. To Dolores, it was a simple romp with her friend, something she had done time and time again with Paloma when they were kids. But to Draco, it meant something more. He just wasn't sure what it was.


	9. fights and friends

****

**"IT'S NOT HERMIONE'S FAULT, RON."** Dolores rolled her eyes.  
"And I bet Harry's Firebolt debacle will be settled by the next match." Paloma sighed.

The two girls walked to History of Magic between Oliver and Ron's tall statures. Dolores had no idea why Ron was suddenly finding any moment to talk to her or walk her to class, but she wasn't complaining.

"I'm never speaking to her again, mark my words," Ron muttered. He had spent half their walk going on and on about how he was almost certain that Hermione let her cat attack Scabbers, while Oliver spent the other half in utter disbelief that Professor McGonagall wouldn't let Harry use his Firebolt for their upcoming match.

"Just you watch when he comes out on that thing, we'll blow every other house out of the water," Oliver said, pointing his finger up to the side of Paloma's face.  
"Don't you have class on the other side of the castle?" Paloma gave him a small smile, stopping in front of him next to the wall that housed History of Magic on the other side.  
"You want to get rid of me that badly?" He cooed, crossing his arms.  
"Go." She ordered softly, Oliver groaned and hugged her goodbye.

"Be nice to Hermione." Dolores gritted while squeezing Ron's elbow.  
"Well letting her rabid cat slaughter Scabbers wasn't very nice was it?" He whined. His brows furrowed and his eyes fixated on Dolores' stern expression.  
"Go to class." She sighed, and out of habit of doing so with Paloma, she smoothed out the top of Ron's robes and fixed his school tie. When Dolores quickly let her hands fall realizing what she was going, she looked up at Ron's crimson complexion.  
"I- I'll see you later." Ron quickly raced off down the corridor and to his next class.

Just as he was practically sprinting down the hall, Draco came into view. As Draco passed Ron in the hallway, he shot him a dirty look.

"I thought you said you were _actually_ coming to breakfast with us this morning," Paloma called to Draco. As he reached the girls in the doorway of class, all he did was mumble incoherently and slump in his usual seat with them. Paloma rolled her eyes and ignored his moodiness, but Dolores looked on in guilt.

It had been two weeks since Christmas and Dolores and Draco had spent that entire week joined at the hip. They went sledding down a small hill that had accumulated from the snow, stole hot chocolate from sneaking into the school's kitchen, and would often waste their days away huddled around the fire in the Slytherin Dungeon. But, after classes resumed and Paloma came back, Draco started to act coldly. Dolores couldn't help but wonder if it was because of their holiday break.

When classes had ended for the day, it was the one rare occasion that Paloma and Draco didn't have a high-intensity Quidditch practice for the upcoming matches.

"Draco can I use your potions textbook to study tonight? I have no idea where mine is..." Paloma asked as they entered the Slytherin common room.  
"Yeah," He said under his breath.   
"Where are we setting up tonight?" Dolores sighed. She was starting to get visibly annoyed at Draco's short responses (if they were lucky enough to get one).

"I'm leaving with Crab and Goyle tonight." He huffed, dropping his potions textbook on the rickety wooden table Paloma had just sat down at.  
"What? Really?" Paloma squinted her eyes at him, "Is everything okay?"   
"What are you bloody on about? I'm fine." He growled.  
"Hey, don't be a dick. She was just asking." Dolores had an unusual tinge of anger in her voice.  
"How am I a dick?" He started to get louder with each word, so much so that half the students in the common room had now turned to listen in. "Just because I don't want to study with you?"  
"No, it's the way you're being a prick," Dolores shouted back. Paloma shielded her face with her hand, blocking the widened gazes from her fellow peers.

"And you're being a bitch." Draco sputtered. Gasps from the other Slytherins didn't do much to an already numb Dolores.  
"Draco -" Paloma stood up from the table and grabbed his shoulder.  
"Fuck you, dude." Dolores grabbed her things and ran off into the girls' dormitories. She hoped he couldn't tell that her voice was shaky from incoming tears. Draco exhaled his leftover anger and stormed out of the common room with Paloma trailing him from behind.

"Will you just leave me the hell alone for once?" He shouted so loudly that the hallway outside the dungeon echoed.  
"What is your issue?" Paloma shouted exasperatedly.  
Draco had no good rebuttal, instead he tried to keep his pale complexion from turning into bright red from anger.

"What happened?" Paloma asked softly, her ears were still ringing from all of the yelling.  
"What?" He snapped once more, his nails sinking into his palms in balled fists.  
"Something's obviously happened if you're acting like this towards us for no good reason," She exhaled, "What happened?"

Draco couldn't tell Paloma what had happened because nothing did. That moment in the snowbank seemed meaningless to him in retrospect. 

Paloma slowly inched closer to him, his mouth still curled in disgust and frustration. She placed both of her hands on his shoulders causing him to flinch slightly.

"I know you have a flair for the dramatic but what you said to Dolores was out of line," Paloma whispered.

Draco twisted his shoulders underneath her grasp and fixed his robes that were ruffled from his sudden and quick departure out of the common room. He stayed silent following her comment.

"I don't want to talk about this anymore," He said under his breath, Paloma noting the anger still lingering in his tone.  
"Are you hungry?" She sighed.

Draco was surprised at Paloma taking his wishes seriously. He shook his head no.

"Well I am," She quipped, "And you owe Dolores a hot chocolate."  
"The hell I do," He scoffed, causing Paloma to smack his ear.  
"You don't have a choice you prick," She said, pulling him by his elbow and leading him out of the dark dungeon and to The Great Hall.

That night, Draco begrudgingly followed Paloma's orders and handed Dolores a hot chocolate through gritted teeth. Dolores had actually refused to meet them in the common room and instead cracked the girls' dormitory door opened only slightly to retrieve the peace offering. But through that slight sliver of golden light from the fire sconces of the dormitory, Draco could see Dolores' weepy eyes and blotchy red face. He was starting to feel a slight hint of regret from earlier. 

Paloma and Draco spent the rest of the night strewn across the Slytherin couch whose dark leather exterior squeaked whenever one of them made any kind of movement. Paloma had given into Draco's pleads of letting him copy her answers to the Potions homework. As the last of the Slytherin students in the common room, Draco had noticed that Paloma's body was weighing down on the left side of his body. Her light snores were muffled by his shoulder. If it was anyone else, Draco thought, he would've pushed them off immediately. But for once, he found himself lessening his movements so he wouldn't wake her up.

"Your parents would be pretty proud, you guys almost look like an actual couple," Dolores teased behind the couch. Draco whipped his head around and straightened up, Paloma only shifting slightly. 

"Look who made it out of their cave." He scoffed, leaning back down into the couch and fidgeting with his rings. Dolores came up behind him, propping her elbows on the backboard of the couch.

"Are you done being pissy?" Dolores whispered. 

Draco lightly pushed Paloma off of his side, without much protest from a fast asleep Paloma. Draco stood from the creaky leather couch and faced Dolores, crossing his arms.

"Are you done being so sensitive?" He muttered.

A beat of silence went by with the crackling fire and Paloma's snores.

"Can you help me bring her to bed?" Dolores asked shyly. Draco groaned quietly.

The two grabbed Paloma from the couch and guided her to the girls' dormitory.

"Thank you," Dolores mumbled as Draco shifted the weight of Paloma to Dolores' shoulder. As she grabbed the doorknob that led to her other sleeping roommates, Draco interrupted the lull in the conversation.

"I'm fine, by the way." He whispered firmly, Dolores noted his defiant tone.  
"I know you are." She replied.

Dolores hurried inside and plopped Paloma onto her bed, taking her shoes off and tucking her inside her dark green sheets. Draco watched on from the doorway, feeling as if he was watching something he wasn't supposed to. He found himself turning away and wanting Dolores to hurry up. But every time he looked back at them, Dolores was taking Paloma's shoes off and making sure she had enough blankets on her for the night.

When Dolores finally finished, she walked back outside of the dorm, closing the door behind her and standing in front of it with Draco.

"What?" Dolores asked regarding his puzzled look.  
"Why did you do all that?" He replied simply.  
"What do you mean?" She crossed her arms.  
"All...that." He stammered.

"Making sure she's comfortable in bed?" Dolores laughed slightly at his uneasiness over something that seemed so trivial, "I don't know, she's my friend...I guess that's just what friends do." She shrugged, but she continued after seeing his stagnant look of confusion, "Sometimes it's okay if you do things for others, you know."

"Are you...okay?" Draco asked, changing the subject. Dolores shifted nervously, something about Draco's sincerity seemed strangely offputting.  
"Why wouldn't I be?" She replied, he shook his head.  
"I'm going to turn in now," Draco said simply. Before she could get a word in, Draco turned away and headed through the common room to his dorm.

Dolores nodded, watching him quickly walk off to the boy's dormitory. All while she got into bed and tried to drift off to sleep, she wondered why Draco would ask if she doing okay. But, it was something that she didn't want to think about all that much.


	10. spills and sweaters

**THE RAIN POUNDED THE GIRL'S UMBRELLAS** as they struggled to see through the heavy rain. They were awaiting their first Quidditch game, Gryffindor v. Hufflepuff. Paloma had scarlet paint smeared on her cheeks in support of Gryffindor, which gave her disapproving looks from those in her house, and of course Draco.

"You better wipe that silly paint off your face." He warned when he saw her in the Slytherin common room. Because of this, Draco decided to sit up the bleachers, far from the two girls, with Crab and Goyle. Sitting with them, was Pansy. Although they were a few rows behind them, Pansy's rude remarks were heard loud and clear between the loud downpour.

"What an idiot, disrespecting her house just for some boy..." Pansy said, loud enough for the girls to hear. Paloma gritted her teeth.

The weather during the game made Paloma's stomach churn for their own game with Gryffindor in a few days. Practice with the Slytherins were long and hard and along with a long list of homework, she was starting to feel overworked. But, these intrusive thoughts were interrupted by the start of the match. Gryffindors whooped and hollered as their team made their way onto the field. Paloma found herself staring longingly at Oliver Wood, who stood confidently in front of his team.

"Do you think Ron's here?" Dolores asked through the pattering rain, Paloma scanned the bleachers once more and pointed up at an incoming Ron and Hermione who were walking down the stairs and towards them.

"Dolores!" Hermione called, waving happily. She then sat in the empty spot in front of them, Ron sat down hesitantly as well. Dolores wondered if they could see her blushing.

"I like your paint, Paloma." Hermione complimented, Paloma grinned.

"Hey, Ron." Paloma greeted, his eyes were glued on the two girls and he started to turn pink.

"Hi, Paloma...Dolores." He mumbled shyly. Paloma hit the side of her best friend, sending Dolores to break her silence. For some reason that Dolores couldn't quite place, Ron was particularly shy around her if their friends were in the mix. But specifically around Hermione, which she brushed off as him not wanting to seem weak in front of his friends.

"Who do you think has a good chance of winning?" Dolores asked, pointing her question towards Ron. He was still turned around facing them, while Hermione scanned the field and waved excitedly at Harry.

"Um, Gryffindor, hopefully." His deep voice didn't seem to match up well with this shy demeanor. Paloma nodded and smiled, earning a smile back from him.

After a few moments, the game was off to a start. But, the audience could barely see the players whizz through the rain and low fog. Paloma found herself standing up on the bleachers for a better look.

"That Diggory guy is pretty cute," Dolores whispered to Paloma, causing them to giggle. Suddenly, the large looming presence of the dementors was felt. They sulked onto the field, causing a commotion to those nearer to the field.

"What the hell are they doing?" Ron questioned, furrowing his brows. Just then, a boy on the Gryffindor team started to spiral out of control and fall to the ground below. The crowd gasped, "That's Harry!" Hermione yelled. Harry fell with a large thud into the ground, causing Madame Hooch to stop the game. Professors ran onto the field frantically, Dumbledor was seen below banishing the dementors away from the field.

★

"I hope he's alright," Paloma mumbled. The two girls were headed to the infirmary where Harry was being held, they had told Hermione they'd meet them there after we sent off with Madame Pomfrey. When they entered, they saw Harry with bleary eyes, mangled onto a bed with Hermione and Ron by his side. The Gryffindor team was standing nearby. When the girls walked in, everyone turned towards them.

"Harry." Dolores greeted, she tried to hide her face of concern.

"That was insane." Paloma said, she didn't even notice that Oliver's face had turned bright red at the sight of her, "are you okay?"

"Better now." He answered meekly.

"Out! All of you! This boy needs his rest!" Demanded a witch's voice, it was Madame Pomfrey. She shooed them all out into the hall, including Hermione and Ron.

As the Gryffindor team turned to leave down the hall, Paloma called Oliver's name. This earned a slew of giggles and "Ooh's!" from the team.

"Hey, I'm sorry about the game today." Paloma apologized. She could smell the wet rain and grass from his uniform. He was sopping wet and his brown hair was stuck to the sides of his forehead.

"It's fine, a bit of a bummer but we'll survive." He winced. His words were unconvincing because of the disappointment painted on his face, "Hey, I actually have something for you." He brightened up. He pulled up his practice bag and pulled out a scarlet sweater.

"I heard girls like wearing guy's clothes, don't have the slightest clue as to why though." He said, laughing to himself and handing her the sweater. When she grabbed it from his hand, she saw the large Gryffindor crest on the front with WOOD sprawled in golden letters on the back and his jersey number below it.

"Whoa, thanks Oliver." Paloma smiled big and traced her fingers over his name.

"The Slytherins will probably tease you for wearing it, but screw 'em." He said, putting his hands on his hips.

"Thank you, I love it." Paloma then gave him a hug, standing her tippy toes just to reach him. Oliver wished her goodbye as he made his way down the corridor and joined some of his teammates, but she saw Fred and George stick around.

As she came back down to Earth, she spun around to see Dolores, Ron, and Hermione standing around. Dolores had a smug look on her face and raised an eyebrow at the sight of the sweater.

"You've got a thing with Wood?" Ron said, squinting his eyes, "Why am I always out of the loop?" "I don't see how Paloma's personal life concerns us, Ron." Hermione shook her head disapprovingly.

Ron and Hermione said goodbye to the girls, but as they treaded off, an annoyingly crude voice rang from behind Paloma and Dolores.

"Aw, how adorable. He gave you his ratty old sweat rag." Pansy snarled. Behind her, Dolores could see Draco storming up down the corridor following Pansy. Ron, Hermione, and the twins stopped down the corridor to watch with open mouths.

"Oh, fuck off Pansy," Paloma replied nastily. Dolores crossed her arms and stared her down. "What did you just say to me?" Pansy grabbed the sweater from Paloma's hand and flung it onto the floor, proceeding to stomp on it with her muddy shoes that the rain had conjured up.

"Enough of this childish bullshit," Draco growled, spooking Paloma and Dolores. Draco bent down and ripped the sweater up from off the floor, and thrust it back into the hands of Paloma, who was too shocked to say anything. "Draco -" Pansy started, but before she could finish Draco grabbed the shoulders of Paloma and Dolores, whisking them off down the hallway. He pushed through Ron, Hermione, and the twins who gawked at the scene that had just taken place.

"I'm going to kill her," Dolores muttered under her breath. "Do you think the mud will wash out?" Paloma asked defeatedly.


	11. howlers and owls

**THAT NEXT MORNING AT BREAKFAST, PALOMA KEPT QUIET.** Dolores and Draco knew that it was most likely from the run-in with Pansy. Dolores was successful in getting the mudstains out, and Draco talked about how irritating he found Pansy as he poked around at his plate.

"She's a pest, I tell you." He said under his breath. The corner of Paloma's mouth upturned due to Draco's poor attempt at trying to make her feel better; she still appreciated the efforts.

Just then, a flurry of owls came fluttering through The Great Hall, dropping letters and packages to the tables beneath them. Down the Slytherin table came a loud, shrieking voice that seemed to shake the entire table.

"PANSY PARKINSON YOU PUTRID RAT! GETTING OFF ON TORTURING OTHERS, YOU THINK YOU'RE TOUGH?" Boomed the Howler that laid open in from of Pansy. She and the Slytherin girls around her cupped their ears and waited for the nuisance to end.

"Oh my..." Dolores said, trying to stifle a laugh. Paloma sat back in amazement at Pansy getting her karma, pushing away her brown locks that hid her silent presence all morning to get a better look.

As soon as the Howler stopped, the howls of laughter from the Slytherin students were heard more clearly. A light tap on Paloma's shoulder interrupted her and Dolores' fit of giggles. When she turned around, she saw Fred and George standing over her. Fred wore a deep red, loose-fitting knit sweater that looked straight from Christmas morning. As he approached, Paloma noticed the cuts and small burns marks all over his hands, the remanents of stunts gone wrong, she thought.

"How'd you like that?" Fred asked, crouching down to meet her eyes. Paloma had hoped he didn't catch her staring at his blotchy red hands.  
"Not a card we pull frequently, but we thought this would be an exception," George whispered.  
"You two did that?" Dolores beamed.  
"It's a simple prank but it does the trick, doesn't it?" Fred said, staring into Paloma.

"Thank you, guys." Paloma laughed and squeezed Fred's knee as he was still crouched down at her level. Dolores could've sworn she saw his cheeks turn bright red like his hair.  
"Anytime," George smiled, scruffing up Paloma's hair before he headed back to the Gryffindor table. Dolores turned back to the Slytherin table and elbowed Draco for giving the twins dirty looks.

"Don't let someone like Pansy get you down." Fred leaned into Paloma and whispered. As he stood back up, he placed his index finger underneath her chin and tilted her head up.

When Paloma turned back around, she felt a funny feeling in her stomach.

"Someone has a crush," Dolores whispered, trying to hide a smile from Draco.

Paloma didn't know who Dolores was referring to - whether Fred or Paloma had a crush. But she knew that either way, she was right. 

★

Later that night after classes had ended, Paloma had gone off with Oliver to "study" at the library, leaving Draco and Dolores to sit back at a table in the Slytherin common room.

Dolores was studying away for a quiz in History of Magic while Draco kept sighing loudly, sitting next to her and getting annoyed by her silence. "Stop it," Dolores mumbled, her head still buried in her textbook. Draco sighed, "You're just going to waste the entire night studying? The quiz isn't until next week."

"I just like to get a headstart on things," Dolores stated, still not looking over to Draco's bored expression, "Just go fuck around with Crab and Goyle."  
"Those idiots, I can't be bothered."   
"Then why are you bothering me?" Dolores raised an eyebrow at him, the first time Draco saw her eyes leave her textbook in hours. Draco squinted at her.

Dolores sighed and shut her book, folded her hands above her piles of notes, and stared at him.

"You have my attention, happy now?" Dolores said.   
"I'm ecstatic," Draco replied coldly.  
"Actually," Dolores brightened up, "I need your help on something."   
"Oh, now you-" He started.

Dolores put her hand up to Draco and rolled her eyes, "Fine, if you don't want to help..." She interrupted.

"Fine, fine. What is it?"  
"Okay so, Bishop's only used to delivering letters around Massachusettes and she doesn't really know her way around just yet..."  
"Your idiot owl can't make its way back to the states?"  
"Hey!" Dolores hit Draco's shoulder.

"Fine," He muttered, getting up from the table, "let's go to The Owlery." Dolores immediately shoved her quills and papers into her schoolbag and walked happily to where the owls were being held.

When they got into The Owlery, they found all the owls cooing softly and stretching their wings every few minutes.

"What do you want to send off?" Draco asked. His voice was so loud it startled some of the owls, causing them to peer around rapidly. Immediately Dolores pulled a letter out of her bag and handed it to Draco.

"I can send your owl off with mine." He mumbled, heading over to the large wall littered with owls on their stoops.

"Are you sure? What if you need him?" Dolores asked, trying to step over the heaps of hay that clumped on the stone floor. Draco mumbled something but Dolores couldn't make it out.

Draco grabbed for his large, menacing eagle owl that sat proudly on his stoop. Dolores followed and retrieved Bishop from his pen.

"Okay, Bishop stick with Draco's owl and you'll find your way home," Dolores said in a baby voice.  
"You act as it can understand you." He scowled.  
"They so can! Can't you, boy?" Dolores scratched Draco's owl under its beak, earning a few coos.  
"You're mental." He mumbled.

The two walked over to the large window where Dolores placed the letter in the beak of Bishop. They released the owls, where they poured into the still, darkening sky.

"Thank you," Dolores said softly.   
"Whatever, let's go. This place stinks." Draco shook his head and walked ahead of her.

The spiral staircase that led down the tall tower The Owlery was a lot more intimidating to Dolores now that the sun had set. The small space was illuminated by tiny flames on the wall, and the night sky peeked through small windows guiding down the stairs.

"This staircase gives me the creeps..." Dolores whispered, Draco leading the way down.  
"You are such a baby. What, you're scared of Sirius Black jumping out and getting you?" He scoffed, his soft laughter echoing slightly.  
"Don't say that! You are so evil." She responded, only causing Draco to laugh even louder.

Suddenly, a strong billowing wind swept into the staircase and blew the flames out, leaving the pair in complete darkness. Dolores gasped and clutched onto Draco's shoulders from behind.

"Lumos!" Draco announced swiftly, his wand brightening up the way, "You're gonna break my shoulders!" He broke shaking Dolores' hands off of him. Immediately, Dolores shot her hand into Draco's. Draco thanked whatever higher being there was that it was dark so she couldn't see his reddening cheeks.

"What are you doing?" He asked.  
"I'm scared, you dick! Now hurry up, I'm freaking out!" Dolores pleaded.

The entire way down, she clutched onto his cold hand. Dolores was surprised that he didn't pull away. She was even more surprised at the fact that anytime she would loosen her grip even slightly, he strengthened their hand's bond. And as they approached the last few steps, Dolores had realized that their hands were completely interlocked with each other.

When they reached the large wooden door that marked the end of the large staircase and led into the outside of the castle, she had realized that neither of them wanted to let go.

Dolores and Draco looked up at each other, their eyes flickering due to the bright light at the end of his wand.

"Is my hand sweaty?" Dolores asked. And as if she had flipped a switch, Draco stiffened up and ran his pale hand through his hair that had been ravaged from the wind through the staircase.  
"My God, yes." Draco let out, hesitantly breaking their grasp. Dolores felt her heart sink as they were no longer joined together.  
"I'm on the verge of a mental breakdown, excuse me!" She exclaimed, shoving him forward.

Draco opened the door which brought in a greeting from the cold night's breeze upon their pink faces. And as they stepped into the gentle winds, Dolores could feel their tender moment be left behind in the narrow staircase.


	12. acid pops and arguments

**ANOTHER HOGSMEADE WEEKEND SPRANG UP RATHER QUICKLY.** The girls had become so caught up in homework that they completely forgot that they were allowed back into the village. Draco kept making jokes to Paloma about her run-in with Pansy the last time.

"Try not to maim Pansy while you guys are out there." Draco teased Paloma as they and other students made their way to Hogsmeade. "Try and control your pug-faced girlfriend then." Dolores quipped, Draco gave her an angry look, ditching them and walking with Crab and Goyle.

Paloma was too nervous to shoot anything back at Draco since their trip to the village meant her first date with Oliver Wood. She nervously bit the inside of her cheek the entire way.

"Where are you going to be?" Paloma asked. "I'm gonna hang with Hermione and Ron for a bit, but I think I wanna explore alone," Dolores said longingly, she loved the soft and cozy atmosphere of Hogsmeade, and it was a night break from the piles of homework she was working through almost daily. "Ooh, _Ron_." Paloma mocked, causing Dolores to shoot an elbow into her side.

The two girls parted ways, Paloma waving at Hermione and Ron when Dolores joined them. And finally, Paloma braced herself to enter a small cafe that Oliver said he loved going to (specifically for the bear claws, he told her).

When she entered, a bell rang with the door. She let in a cold wind and a few autumn leaves along with her. The smell of coffee and sweet bread filled her nose. There were a few people here and there at tables, but two seventh year girls were the only students in sight. Then, she saw Oliver sat at the table in front of the window. His face lit up when he saw her standing in the door, he stood up and revealed his outfit; a black woven sweater and scarlet red corduroy pants.

"Paloma!" He said excitedly. He ran over to the other side of the table and pulled out the chair for her. "I hope you won't waiting long." She began, setting her bag on the floor. "No, no. Right on time." Oliver smiled. His big hands were cupping the sides of the cup he was holding.

"I can't tell if that cup is the smallest size they have or you have the biggest hands I've ever seen." She joked.

Oliver put up his right hand and held it up to Paloma, in which she did the same. His palms were warm, and she was hoping that he didn't notice how sweaty hers were. Oliver's hand was a good inch bigger than hers, which made her swoon on the inside.

As the two sat there, Paloma swore they talked about everything. He told her about how he got into Quidditch, his family, and his plans for after Hogwarts. During some parts, she couldn't even decipher what he was saying through his thick accent. But, she didn't want to interrupt him. He spoke so passionately about everything he loved, which Paloma loved.

While on Paloma and Oliver were on their date, Dolores stocked up on candy at Honeydukes with Hermione and Ron. Thankfully, the awkwardness between Dolores and Ron had subsided.

"You guys are so lucky, we have none of this in the states," Dolores told them sincerely. Her eyes couldn't stop shooting around at the tall shelves holding endless candies of all kinds in colorful packaging. "I don't know how you guys live," Ron replied. "Wait, Dolores have you had these?" he called out, he was in a small corner of the shop pointing at a shelf of brightly colored candies. She joined him in the small corner, standing shoulder to shoulder.

"They're Acid Pops, they can burn a hole in someone's tongue." He told her, pulling one from the display and showing her. "Hell no, I'm glad American wizarding candy is a lot more subdued." Dolores chuckled, examining the lollipop. "Fred gave me one of these and got in trouble with my mum." He informed her, causing Dolores to laugh even louder.

"You're a prick, how can you laugh at my misery? I was traumatized!" Ron said seriously, but he couldn't stop himself from laughing too.

The two looked at each other as they giggled to themselves in the small pocket of the store. Dolores realized she loved hearing his soft and boyish laugh.

Their group was disbanded while at Honeydukes when a covert Harry snuck in wearing his Cloak of Invisibility. Dolores wished the three goodbyes before continuing her lone exploration of Hogsmeade.

★

That night at dinner, Dolores listened attentively to Paloma who filled her in on her date. Draco sat next to Paloma and across from Dolores, he would scoff and roll his eyes every time the two girls fawned over Oliver.

"That prick can only ever talk about Quidditch, I don't know how you can hold up a conversation with him," Draco told them, poking at the turkey leg on his plate. Paloma and Dolores ignored his small comments and continued.

"How was it with Hermione and Ron?" Paloma asked. Draco stopped poking at his food and glared up at Dolores. "It was good, I think Ron and I are warming up to each other." She answered sweetly, she didn't even bother hiding the smile that formed across her lips.

"You hung out with Ron?" Draco asked quietly. "And Hermione, it wasn't a date or anything," Dolores answered, her head down and still dissecting the meal in front of her. Draco mumbled to himself under his breath. "You should ask Ron on a date!" Paloma suggested. Draco dropped his fork loudly on his plate. "Oh come on, are you serious?" He said, sounding angrier than ever. He looked at Paloma with a face of contempt.

Paloma squinted her eyes back at him, "What? I know you don't like the guy but Dolores does, so-" before she could even finish, Draco got up from the table and stormed off down the hall and out of the large doors. His robes waving behind him and Slytherins near them staring at his sudden departure.

Paloma whipped her head back around to Dolores, the two girls' jaws were drooping with wide eyes.

"What the hell was his problem?" Dolores said softly. "He's officially lost it." Paloma shook her head and instead focused on her plate.


	13. disputes and dates

**DRACO WAS STILL AVOIDING THE GIRLS ON MONDAY DURING ALL OF THEIR CLASSES.** He wouldignore their calls to him during breakfast, sit with Crab and Goyle during class, and dodge him in the common room. Paloma and Dolores felt slightly hurt, but their irritation with him took over. Instead, the girls would banter with Harry, Ron, and Hermione when they had classes with the Gryffindors. This only earned nasty looks from Draco, and during potions, he aggressively bumped into Dolores "on accident" as they left the classroom.

After their classes that day, the two girls tiredly piled into the Slytherin Dungeon. As soon as the girls stepped foot inside, an angry face greeted them.

" _You_." Pansy seethed. Behind her stood her Slytherin girl groupies who stood taller than Pansy herself.

Dolores cowered slightly even if Pansy's furious face was focused on Paloma's only.

"Excuse me?" Paloma spewed, taking a few steps closer to Pansy so their faces were only inches away. It seemed like the entire Slytherin common room was watching the entire spectacle, including one silver-haired boy who quietly sulked in an armchair unbeknownst to the girls.

"I know it was you who sent me that howler," Pansy growled, the common room erupted into whispers.   
"I have no idea what you're on about." Paloma scoffed, crossing her arms. Dolores put her palm to a Slytherin girl's chest that tried to move closer to Paloma.

"Oh yes you do!" Pansy exploded, "One of your little Gryffindor boyfriends did it!"  
"She said she doesn't know what you're on about," Dolores stated sternly, now moving closer to Pansy. The small whispers in the room turned into quiet giggles.

"Just back off Pansy." Paloma sighed. As the two girls tried to dodge Pansy's gang, Pansy grabbed her shoulders and slammed her against a wall, her forearm against Paloma's throat and another girl's wand was being held against her cheek.

Dolores whipped out her wand, but before she could even point it at the group of girls, one of Pansy's minions shouted "Experelliarmus!", sending Dolores' wand flying across the room. The girl who did the spell shoved Dolores into the wall next to Paloma.

"Today you're going to learn what happens when you disrespect someone." Pansy snarled in her ear.

"Pansy!" A voice interrupted, sounding even angrier than she was. Everyone in the room turned their heads to see the source; Draco. He stood tall but with a look of uneasiness, his wand aimed at Pansy. He looked around nervously at the eyes watching the entire showdown, an overwhelming sense of regret came over him for speaking up, but he knew he couldn't sit back and watch it for any longer.

"Draco..." Pansy started. Paloma and Dolores pushed the girls off of them as soon as they saw their chance. Dolores grabbed her wand from the floor and checked for damage. Everyone lowered their wands and stared at each other in confusion, even Draco. He wondered why he was sticking up for the girls even though they made one too many jokes about how his hair color couldn't be natural. 

"Don't ever lay hands on them again, do you hear me?" Draco barked. Dolores held her breath for a moment and a sly smirk started to form on Paloma's lips.

"Draco, you can't be serious..." Pansy sputtered.

Draco took a deep breath and stormed out of the common room and into the boy's dorms, reminiscent of when he stormed out of the dining hall a few days prior. Pansy shot a disgusting look towards Paloma and Dolores, "This isn't over. I don't know what kind of dirt you have on Draco to blackmail him into being your friend but it won't work for much longer." She then stomped off out of the common room with her bullies in close line behind her.

★

Draco was late to dinner that evening, but he eventually turned up. He strode right on over to Paloma and Dolores who were sitting next to each other and stood over them in silence.

"Move over," Draco mumbled, but the girls didn't budge.  
"Oh look, he speaks." Paloma teased. Her and Dolores looked up at him and saw his blank expression.  
"That's how you treat the person who saved your life?" Draco replied.

Dolores gasped, "We could've taken her entire squad of idiots without your help!"   
"Oh yeah, that's definitely what it looked like." Draco sniggered. He slammed his book bag on the table in front of the girls and parted their shoulders to sit between them

"You're a dick," Paloma said with a full mouth of food.  
"Are you even going to say sorry?" Dolores questioned.  
"Sorry? For what?" He laughed.

"For ignoring us!" Dolores quipped, hitting the back of his head, "You nearly broke my shoulder when you slammed your huge body into it during potions!" Draco softened the blow from Dolores by rubbing the crown of his head.

As the three buried the hatchet and talked away, a familiar voice whispered into Paloma's ear.

"Are you busy tonight?" It was Oliver Wood.  
"Oh look, it's lover boy!" Draco jeered, Dolores slapped his hand and dragged him closer to her so he couldn't eavesdrop, Paloma turned red from his comment.

"Sorry, he's...just..."  
Oliver laughed, "No I get it. But are you busy? Tonight?"  
"Um, well not really. Why?"   
"Meet me at the Quidditch Pitch at 12." He informed her. Before Paloma could get a word in, he walked off back to his own table. The friends he sat with stared at her from afar and whispered to him as he sat down.

"You two make me want to throw up." Draco insulted.

But, even Draco couldn't ruin the high Paloma was on from the future night escapades with Oliver.

★

That night, Dolores and Draco (although begrudgingly) acted as a lookout for Paloma as she snuck out. 

It was 11:56 when Paloma made it to the Quidditch Pitch and when she saw Oliver standing there on the field, doing his best to brace the cold by stuffing his hands in his pants pockets.

"Hey!" He shouted, waving at her excitedly.  
"Fancy meeting you here," Paloma shouted back, running over to him, "you didn't lead me out here to kill me did you?"

"Oh no, you've foiled my plans." He chuckled. Oliver grabbed for her hands, and although his were freezing cold, Paloma didn't mind at all, "I just thought it'd be nice to get away for a bit." Paloma nodded and smiled.

The two laid on their backs and stared up at the vast black sky in front of them. Strangely enough, Oliver knew a great lot about the constellations and excitedly pointed at them to show Paloma. Although Paloma already knew everything there were about the stars, she didn't stop Oliver from telling her.

"Can I ask you something?" Oliver said quietly.   
"Shoot," Paloma replied.  
"Are you and Draco...you know..." Oliver hesitated to finish his question, but Paloma's laugh was enough of an answer for him.

"Okay, okay sorry I just wanted to know." He laughed at his own inquiry and turned to Paloma.  
"We're just friends, but like I said before our dads are trying to set up to together," Paloma turned her head to meet Oliver's eyes, "but as you can see that's not working out very well."

He laughed softly, "I sure hope it isn't."   
"Oh really?" She smiled slyly, "Is someone jealous?"   
"No I am not!" He said, propping himself up on his elbow. His dorkish laugh was music to Paloma's ears.  
"Oh yes you are!" She quipped. Paloma raised her finger to his face, laughing loudly. Oliver grabbed her wrist and held it for a moment before intertwining his fingers with hers. 

"Can I kiss you?" Oliver asked meekly. 

Paloma felt her heart skip a beat. His soft hazel eyes twinkled under the deep blue night sky. She nodded yes.

Oliver pulled Paloma's face in, dragging his thumb across her bottom lip slowly. Paloma clutched his hand and kissed it. Oliver let out a soft sigh and crashed his lips against hers. 

Paloma felt herself melt into the grass beneath her as Oliver's torso laid on top of her. The frigid cold nipped at every part of exposed skin, but Paloma felt warm pressed against Oliver's body. He smelled cinnamon and broomstick wax (a smell Paloma was well aware of) with a hint of some sort of musky cologne, she smiled at the thought of Oliver spraying himself with cologne for their date. Just then, a loud voice interrupted their moment on the field.

"Who's ou' 'ere?" Boomed the voice - Hagrid. Paloma and Oliver stared at each other in shock. They scanned the field for him but they couldn't see his large figure anywhere. The two scrambled to their feet and ran off down the field and out of the pit. 

Paloma and Oliver ran across the grounds and hand in hand and hurried into the castle.

"When can I see you again?" Oliver whispered once he caught his breath.  
"Anytime, _lover boy_." Paloma teased, recalling the nickname Draco had called him at the table. Oliver grinned and kissed her one last time before they parted ways to their respective dorms.


	14. break ins and broken hearts

**"YOU ARE SUCH AN IDIOT!"** Paloma shouted. Draco was red in the face, walking quickly beside Crab and Goyle who almost cost Gryffindor their match with Ravenclaw. The three of them had dressed up as Dementors to taunt Harry during the game. Draco stayed quiet, his pale complexion smeared with mud and green grass marks. 

Professor McGonagall had the boys at the scruff of their necks as she carried them off to Dumbledore's office. 

Paloma and Dolores stood arms crossed in the middle of the corridor, watching them disappear down the hall.

"At least Gryffindor wound up winning anyway." Dolores sighed.  
"I can't believe we're actually going to up against them." Paloma shook her head and started to walk about to the Slytherin Dungeon.  
"Maybe _your boyfriend_ will go easy on you."  
"He is not my boyfriend." Paloma snapped, Dolores was surprised at her defensive tone.  
"I didn't know friends went off with each other in the dead of night to -"  
"Sh!" Paloma put her finger to her lips as two second years passed them in the hall.

"I think you should talk to him about it," Dolores said coyly. Paloma shrugged as she played around with the idea in her head. She wanted so desperately for Oliver to be her boyfriend but something kept her from asking him to make things official. Plus - they were _practically_ dating already. Gryffindors would whisper about her when she walked down the hall and Oliver's friends would whistle if they saw them together.

"Do you actually think so?" Paloma asked quietly.  
"Yes! Aren't you guys seeing each other later tonight? Ask him then." Dolores whispered excitedly. As they entered the common room sans Draco, Paloma looked forward (albeit nervously) to seeing Oliver.

That night, she did her usual sneaking out routine; leave to the Gryffindor Tower to wait for Oliver. Paloma would hide around the corner, not wanting to be berated by Sir Cadegon who made too many snarky comments about Slytherins. 

As he emerged from the portrait hole, he smiled brightly and gave Paloma a tight hug. She could tell that he was in a good mood due to Gryffindor's win. As they joined hands and walked away from the common room, Paloma decided it was now or never.

"Can I ask you something?" She said gently. Oliver looked over to her and nodded, stopping just a few feet away from where they met.  
"This is going to sound really dumb..." Paloma started, struggling to put together her question, "but...uh...what...are we?" She winced at how cliche her words sounded. Oliver laughed slightly, but his crooked smiled turned into a weak and unreadable curve across his lips. Paloma started to feel instant regret.

"Do you want me to be honest?" Paloma shook her head, knowing that whatever came out of his mouth couldn't be good.

"I...I don't think I'm looking for a relationship right now." Oliver whispered slowly.

Paloma felt as if her legs turned into jelly, she hoped that the hall was dim enough so he couldn't see her face grow red hot.

"Oh." Was all she could muster up.  
"I mean - don't get me wrong, I have a lot of fun with you...but...I'm just a busy guy...and I'm...leaving next year..." He stammered. Paloma nodded quickly.  
"No, I get it. I do." She smiled weakly.  
"But -" He interrupted slightly above the whisper they were speaking in, "we can still...see each other."

Paloma nodded, but before she could respond, the pair heard yells coming from the Gryffindor Common Room. The two turned to the common room concerned at the muffled commotion inside.

"What the..." Oliver started, "I - can we catch up later?" He continued. He ran over to the portrait hole where Sir Cadegon was still fast asleep despite the shrieks inside. Paloma nodded and moved closer to the portrait hole for better eavesdropping capabilities.

As Oliver gave the password to Sir Cadegon, Paloma caught a glimpse of the chaos ensuing inside. Ron, Harry, and Neville were all standing there bewildered, the only words Paloma could hear from the boys were "SIRIUS BLACK! SIRIUS BLACK!" Her eyes widened and she tore off down the tower and back to the Slytherin Dungeon.

★

"What an asshole! And Ron! Oh my God, poor Ron!" Dolores wavered.

That next morning during breakfast Paloma spilled everything from the night before, although she didn't even need to tell her about the Sirius Black break-in considering it was all the school could talk about. Students all over the four tables looked sleepy yet on edge from getting no sleep last night.

"I don't know what to do..." Paloma began.  
"Should I go to the Gryffindor table and comfort him?" Dolores turned around and bobbed her head around at the Gryffindor table. She frowned seeing all the girls crowding around him for his version of events.

"I just have to suck it up..." Paloma sighed and rested her head on her palm.  
"I'm gonna talk to him. Fuck it." Dolores took a deep breath and raced up from her seat and towards Ron.  
"Good talk," Paloma mumbled to herself.

As soon as Harry saw Dolores walk up to the table, he smacked Ron's chest, interrupting him and the other girls who were clinging to every word he was saying.

"Dolores." Ron's eyes lit up, ignoring the girls who were now staring at Dolores' Slytherin robe in disgust.  
"Are you okay?" She started, "Wanna take a walk?" Dolores continued, pointing to outside the large wooden doors of the hall. Ron nodded excitedly and practically knocked over the girls that circled around him.

As they exited The Great Hall, Draco was walking in.

"Draco!" Dolores called, but instead, his face twisted in disgust. Draco slammed his shoulder into Ron's as they walked past each other.

"Bloody he-" Ron winced.  
"Ignore him," Dolores said, annoyed.

Draco slammed himself next to the empty seat that Dolores had left next to Paloma.

"Where have you been?" Paloma asked, finishing up her plate of bacon.  
"Where are they going?" Draco demanded.  
"I asked first." She teased.  
"Don't act stupid, where did they go?" He moved closer to Paloma's face.  
"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Calm down." She said, backing away from his hostile presence.

Draco sighed heavily and bounced his knee.

"What's up with you?" Paloma asked. He stayed silent and ripped a piece of bacon off of her plate.

The cold, brisk morning air masked Dolores and Ron's faces as they circled around the outside of the castle.

"So Neville just left the passwords lying around?" She asked.  
"I've been telling everyone he's thick..." Ron shook his head and dug his hands further into his robe pockets.  
"But are you okay though? When Paloma told me..."  
"Aw," Ron laughed and looked over to Dolores.  
"What?" She giggled, hitting his shoulder.  
"Someone was worried..." He tried to stop any further laughter but he couldn't.

The pair stopped walking and faced each other, both in a smiley haze.

"Well, thanks for caring," Ron said gently. Dolores noticed that the quieter his voice went, the more it would get raspy. A tuft of red hair hung over his eye, Dolores instinctively grazed her hand over his face to sweep it away. Ron's cheeks turned crimson.

"No problem," Dolores responded, giving him a sweet smile.   
"Can I walk you to class?" He mumbled innocently, his eyes were no longer looking directly into hers, but pointed down at the grass between them.  
The question caught her off guard, "Oh - yeah, I would love that. Thank you." 

★

As the sun was setting, Paloma and Draco finished their Quidditch practice with the rest of the Slytherin team. Draco seemed moodier than usual, Paloma attempting to get some kind of response out of him that wasn't a grunt or "Leave me alone."

When Paloma and Draco left the changing room and started to walk off to the castle, they caught the Gryffindor team striding towards the pit. Paloma's stomach turned at the sight of Oliver.

"Should I say something to him? She whispered to Draco.  
"I couldn't care less." He responded.

But before Paloma could even think of something to say, Oliver called her name. The entire Gryffindor team broke out into whispers as she approached. 

"Hey." She said weakly. When she turned around to see if Draco had left, he was stood watching from afar with his arms crossed.  
"Hi." Oliver sounded uneasy, "Can we talk, in private?"   
Paloma nodded eagerly.

Oliver led her into the Gryffindor locker room, which was dark and damp with scarlet flags donning every corner.

"What's up?" She whispered. Although they were both alone in a completely empty room, she still felt the need to whisper.  
"I don't think we should keep doing this," Oliver said firmly. Paloma inverted her lips and looked down at the concrete floor. "I'm sorry, I just think we want different th-" He continued.  
"But last night..." She said quietly.   
"I know what I said last night but...I just think it's for the best." He firmly put. He had made up his mind and had apparently closed the chapter on behalf of Paloma as well. As if in a blink of an eye, Paloma was racing out of the locker room.

"Paloma!" He called, but she hurried down the grass with her eyes slowly welling with tears. When she emerged into the sight of the Gryffindor team and Draco, Paloma couldn't even bear to see their concerned faces.

"What happened?" Draco asked, breaking his silent streak when she reached him.  
"Paloma!" Fred tried calling, but his shouts were mixed with Oliver's and she didn't bother to turn around.  
"Let's go." Her voice quivering, she felt too embarrassed to look Draco in the eyes, afraid that he would only poke fun at her first world problems even more. With his free hand that wasn't holding his broom, Draco grabbed her shoulder and shook her slightly, forcing Paloma to look at him with dampening eyes. 

As the pair started to walk back to the castle, Draco turned around to see Oliver still attempting to flag down Paloma's attention.

"You'll get what's coming to you, Wood! I assure you that!" Draco boomed before flipping off the entire team behind them, "And she'll give you back your sweater so you can shove it right up your-"  
"Draco!" Paloma barked through tears.


	15. finals and falls

**"COME ON PALOMA! YOU HAVE TO GET READY FOR THE MATCH."** Dolores groaned.

Paloma was still in bed with dark emerald green sheets covering her face. The Quidditch final between Gryffindor v. Slytherin was in an hour and the thought of having to face Oliver Wood during the match was enough for Paloma to want to disappear into her bed.

"I'm not playing." She responded, her voice muffled underneath the sheets. The door to the girls' room burst open, "For Merlin's sake, get out of bed!" Draco shouted, shoving Dolores out of the way and ripping the sheets off of Paloma.

"You're not supposed to be in here!" Paloma snapped, trying to rip back the sheets but Draco still had them balled up in his fists.  
"And you're not supposed to be in bed right now!" Draco reached for Paloma's hand and grabbed her Quidditch warm-up gear that Dolores had neatly folded at the foot of her bed, "I get that that git broke your heart but for the sake of everything that is holy you better get your ass on that field today!" 

"Yeah! What he said!" Dolores said sternly.

Before Paloma could resist, Draco dragged her out of the dormitory by her bicep and to the Slytherin locker room.

The morning of the match had the sun gleaming brightly and warmly on Draco and Paloma's skin as they walked to the locker room to get ready for the game. Paloma hesitantly changed into her uniform, but her gloomy demeanor had yet to disappear. In a pregame "pep-talk" (with no pep), Marcus Flint seemed to shout louder than the growing audience's cheers outside. Paloma was starting to get her mind off of seeing Oliver and onto the anxiety of the match. 

When the Slytherin team took the field, the overwhelming noise of cheers and boos greeted them. The glaring sun made it difficult for Paloma to see the steep bleachers filled to the brim with students from all four houses. Slytherins stood on the bleachers and waved wildly for the incoming team. There in the middle of the Pitch, stood the daunting Gryffindor team. 

"Don't fuck this up," Draco muttered into Paloma's ear. Usually she would quip back at him, but she was slowly growing even more anxious. When she looked over to the opposing team, Oliver immediately shot his head down and fidgeted with his broom, Harry smiled and waved, and Fred and George stuck their tongues out. Paloma gave a weak smile and wave at all three of them.

Marcus and Oliver shook hands, in which Madame Hooch blew her whistle. Both teams shot up in the air, bodies all over the sky shooting around rapidly. Paloma's worries and anxieties slowly melted away as she clutched her broom tightly and flew against the team. But, foul after foul were quickly beginning to be called on the Slytherin team.

"What the hell are you morons doing?" Paloma shouted at Marcus Flint and the other players on her team, causing Flint to bump her broom roughly.

Throughout the match, Paloma would catch glimpses of Harry bobbing and weaving wildly in search of the Golden Snitch. Eventually, Paloma got ahold of a Quaffle and as she sped through the players to get it through a hoop, a strong force sent her flying to the ground. Due to Harry's sporadic behaviors, he accidentally threw himself against Paloma. Gasps from the audience erupted, as they watched Paloma pummel into the ground. As soon as she hit the field below, she was knocked unconscious. Draco threw himself towards the field as soon as the game was paused with Harry looking on from his broom above horrified. Dolores, who was sitting with Ron and Hermione, shot up from her seat and tried to run down to the field.

Eventually, the entire Gryffindor team set back down on the ground. Oliver Wood sprinted up towards Paloma who had cuts and grass marks all over. Fred bent down over her and tried to shake her awake.

"What the hell was that, Potter?" Draco boomed, throwing his broom to the ground and charging towards him. Oliver jumped back from Paloma and attempted to shield Harry from Draco's wrath.

"I didn't - I..." Harry stuttered. Before Draco could get ahold of him Marcus Flint held him back.

Professor Snape charged onto the field and shoved Harry out of the way, picking up Paloma from the grass. Her head hung off of his forearm, her mouth agape. Dolores was in hot pursuit behind Snape, who clutched onto Draco as they followed the professor off of the field.

★

Paloma awoke in the cold infirmary, seeing a blur of faces standing over her. As her vision cleared she saw Dolores sitting down on her left with Draco standing behind her, still in his Quidditch uniform with arms crossed.

Paloma tried to hold her own head up, but there was an annoying ache in her neck. The slight movement was enough for Dolores to whip her head around and call out, "She's awake! She's awake!" Draco moved closer to her bed. Fred, George, and Harry with his usual entourage of Ron and Hermione came rushing in from Dolores' beckoning.

"You got some nerve showing your face here, Potter." Draco sneered with balled fists.

"Shut up Draco, now is not the time," Dolores muttered. Her eyes were red and the green face paint under her eyes was smudged. 

"I am so sorry, Paloma." Harry began, a look of guilt ruined his face of boyish innocence.

"No, it's fine Harry." Paloma croaked, "Yeah, sure, he nearly killed you." Draco said under his breath.  
"Draco, can you go find Madame Pomfrey?" Dolores demanded firmly, in which Draco angrily obliged. On his way out, Draco made it a point to roughly bump into Ron's shoulder.

"I feel terrible." Harry cut in, he slowly approached the foot of Paloma's bed.  
"It's fine, really. It happens all the time." Paloma smiled weakly.  
"Really?" Ron interjected.  
"Well, I've never taken that bad of a fall but, better late than never." Causing the small group to laugh lightly. Dolores gave Fred a sly smile, who had the face of the most concern out of anybody in the infirmary. 

"Congrats on the cup," Paloma said. She tried to shift slightly in her bed but her whole body ached terribly and she winched at the pain.  
"How do you know we won?" Fred asked, crossing his arms and smirking.  
"You think Slytherin could win without me? Please," Paloma continued, "just know if Potter wouldn't have nearly slaughtered me you guys wouldn't have stood a chance." 

"I believe you," Harry laughed, dropping a battered and slightly melted Chocolate Frog onto Paloma's bedside table. Paloma had guessed it was in case the dementors decided to take the field again.

"We should go so she could get some rest," Dolores said. She led the five Gryffindors out of the Infirmary, Hermione quickly rushed over and gave her a careful side hug before leaving. When they had all piled out, Paloma took a deep breath and rested her head once again against the pillows that supported her neck. Just then, she could hear quick footsteps came rushing down the hallway and into the infirmary; Fred.

"Anything I could do to make Harry's roadkill feel better?" He smirked, sitting down at the seat Dolores was sitting in earlier.  
"Like what?" Paloma turned her head over to him.  
"Another howler to Pansy? Or Potter? Or both?" He suggested, putting his broom at the foot of her bed.  
"Just so I could get my head chewed off by her like last time?" Paloma scoffed.  
"Good point." He nodded and sighed, "What an amazing last two days you've had, heartbroken by Wood and body broken by Potter."   
"If my entire body wasn't aching I would punch you right now." She shut her eyes tightly had the cringe-worthy thought of falling in front of the boy who had basically dumped her the day before.  
"You know, I bet Oliver didn't even notice," Fred said, placing his hand on her shoulder.

Just then, Madam Pomfrey and Draco came walking into the infirmary.

"Out! This girl needs her rest!" Pomfrey shouted, pointing to the door.  
"That's my cue to go," Fred shot up from the chair and grabbed his broom, "I'll find a way to make you feel better." He whispered and winked.

Draco glared at him with crossed arms as Fred left the infirmary.

"New Gryffindor boyfriend? That was quick." He frowned as Madam Pomfrey fluffed the pillows beneath Paloma's head.


End file.
